Prevalence of Chagas Disease in Immigrant Patients With Conduction Abnormalities on Electrocardiogram
Summary
Chagas disease is endemic to the Americas, infecting between 16-18 million individuals. In immigrant populations in the United States from endemic areas, it is estimated up to 4.9% may be asymptomatic carriers of Trypanosoma cruzi, the organism which causes Chagas disease. Between 10-20% of these patients progress to development of end-stage cardiomyopathy with a high associated morbidity. Following acute disease, patients enter into an indeterminate phase which can last 10-20 years. The earliest sign of cardiac involvement usually is electrocardiogram abnormalities. The most common abnormality is right bundle branch block (RBBB), followed by left anterior fascicular block (LAFB), and left bundle branch block (LBBB). Recent studies have shown that treatment of patients at this stage with antiparasitics may delay the progression of overt cardiomyopathy.
At the University of California, Los Angeles, there is a large population of immigrant patients from countries endemic to Chagas disease. The researchers propose that screening patients with conduction abnormalities on electrocardiogram may be a potentially useful method to identify patients with early cardiac manifestations of Chagas disease. The researchers hope to enroll approximately 300 individuals with RBBB, LAFB or LBBB on electrocardiogram to determine the incidence of Chagas disease in this patient population.
Study Design
Allocation: Non-Randomized, Control: Uncontrolled, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Screening
Conditions
Chagas Disease
Intervention
Trypanosoma cruzi serology
Location
OV-UCLA Medical Center
Sylmar
California
United States
91342
Status
Recruiting
Source
University of California, Los Angeles
Results (where available)
Links
- Source: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00453700
- Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on July 15, 2010
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Chagas Cardiomyopathy
A disease of the CARDIAC MUSCLE developed subsequent to the initial protozoan infection by TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI. After infection, less than 10% develop acute illness such as MYOCARDITIS (mostly in children). The disease then enters a latent phase without clinical symptoms until about 20 years later. Myocardial symptoms of advanced CHAGAS DISEASE include conduction defects (HEART BLOCK) and CARDIOMEGALY.
Chagas Disease
Infection with the protozoan parasite TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI, a form of TRYPANOSOMIASIS endemic in Central and South America. It is named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered the parasite. Infection by the parasite (positive serologic result only) is distinguished from the clinical manifestations that develop years later, such as destruction of PARASYMPATHETIC GANGLIA; CHAGAS CARDIOMYOPATHY; and dysfunction of the ESOPHAGUS or COLON.
Trypanosoma Rangeli
A hemoflagellate parasite affecting domestic and wild animals, as well as humans and invertebrates. Though it induces an immune response, it is non-pathogenic in humans and other vertebrates. It is cross-reactive with TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI and can thus cause false positives for CHAGAS DISEASE.
Trypanosoma Cruzi
The agent of South American trypanosomiasis or CHAGAS DISEASE. Its vertebrate hosts are man and various domestic and wild animals. Insects of several species are vectors.
Triatominae
A subfamily of assassin bugs (REDUVIIDAE) that are obligate blood-suckers of vertebrates. Included are the genera TRIATOMA; RHODNIUS; and PANSTRONGYLUS, which are vectors of TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI, the agent of CHAGAS DISEASE in humans.
Clinical Trials
Clinical Trial For The Treatment Of Chronic Chagas Disease With Posaconazole And Benznidazole
The investigators propose the evaluation of posaconazole and benznidazole in humans for the treatment of Chagas disease chronical infection. Exploratory trial of posaconazole antiparasitic...
The purpose of this study is to determine if 60 days of treatment with an antiparasitic drug (benznidazole) could prevent the progression of cardiac disease in patients with Chagas disease...
Genetic Architecture of Heart Disease in Rural Brazil
To examine the genetics of human susceptibility to Chagas' disease, a leading cause of heart disease throughout Latin America.
Chagas Disease as an Undiagnosed Type of Cardiomyopathy in the United States
A detailed review was made of data pertinent to the occurrence of chronic Chagas disease in the United States.
Evaluation of a Noninvasive Fetal RHD Genotyping Test
This study will collect whole blood samples from pregnant subjects who are RhD negative by serology to develop an assay for RHD determination of the fetus.
PubMed Articles
Very few studies have measured disease penetrance and prognostic factors of Chagas cardiomyopathy among asymptomatic Trypanosoma cruzi-infected persons.
We report the discovery of nontoxic fungicide fenarimol (1) as an inhibitor of Trypanosoma cruzi ( T. cruzi ), the causative agent of Chagas disease, and the results of structure-activity investigatio...
In the chronic phase of Chagas disease, individuals infected by Trypanosoma cruzi may be asymptomatic or present cardiac and/or digestive complications. Our aim here is to analyze the relation between...
Chagas' disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is an urgent and highly prevalent danger that is endemic to Latin America, and which the research community continues to ignore. Each year, Chagas' diseas...
The presence of acute Chagas disease (ACD) due to oral transmission is growing and expanding in several South American countries. Within the Amazon basin, the Abaetetuba municipality has been a site o...
