Cerebral infarct topography of atrial fibrillation and Chagas disease.

Background: Chagas disease (CD) and ischemic stroke (IS) have a significant but poorly understood correlation. There is paucity of evidence regarding secondary prophylaxis of IS and etiological causes.

Objectives: To compare arterial stroke topography and the respective morbidities and mortality in patients with CD of undetermined and cardioembolic etiologies and with cardioembolic IS (atrial fibrillation [AF]).

Methods: We compared vascular topography and outcomes using data obtained from the electronic medical records of all patients with IS with either CD (with cardioembolic or undetermined etiology) or AF, admitted to SARAH Hospital Brasilia between 2009 and 2013.

Results: A total of 115 patients were investigated: 49 involving AF, 23 involving CD of unclear etiology, and 43 involving CD of cardioembolic etiology. Middle cerebral artery stroke was predominant in all groups, although more frequent in patients with CD of undetermined etiology. No significant difference was found in the arterial territories. Hemodynamic stroke was predominant among CD patients who experienced cardioembolic events. AF patients had worse modified Rankin scale scores upon admission and a higher mortality rate than CD patients in both categories.

Conclusions: Stroke topography is not useful in determining the etiological diagnosis. Patients with AF and IS are more likely to have worse outcomes than are those with CD and IS. The autonomic nervous system could be affected in patients with CD.