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Reifler KA, Wheelock A, Hall SM, Salazar A, Hassan S, Bostrom JA, Barnett ED, Carrion M, Hochberg NS, Hamer DH, Gopal DM, Bourque D. Chagas cardiomyopathy in Boston, Massachusetts: Identifying disease and improving management after community and hospital-based screening. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011913. [PMID: 38241361 PMCID: PMC10830043 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited data exist regarding cardiac manifestations of Chagas disease in migrants living in non-endemic regions. METHODS A retrospective cohort analysis of 109 patients with Chagas disease seen at Boston Medical Center (BMC) between January 2016 and January 2023 was performed. Patients were identified by screening and testing migrants from endemic regions at a community health center and BMC. Demographic, laboratory, and cardiac evaluation data were collected. RESULTS Mean age of the 109 patients was 43 years (range 19-76); 61% were female. 79% (86/109) were diagnosed with Chagas disease via screening and 21% (23/109) were tested given symptoms or electrocardiogram abnormalities. Common symptoms included palpitations (25%, 27/109) and chest pain (17%, 18/109); 52% (57/109) were asymptomatic. Right bundle branch block (19%, 19/102), T-wave changes (18%, 18/102), and left anterior fascicular block (11%, 11/102) were the most common electrocardiogram abnormalities; 51% (52/102) had normal electrocardiograms. Cardiomyopathy stage was ascertained in 94 of 109 patients: 51% (48/94) were indeterminate stage A and 49% (46/94) had cardiac structural disease (stages B1-D). Clinical findings that required clinical intervention or change in management were found in 23% (25/109), and included cardiomyopathy, apical hypokinesis/aneurysm, stroke, atrial or ventricular arrhythmias, and apical thrombus. CONCLUSIONS These data show high rates of cardiac complications in a cohort of migrants living with Chagas disease in a non-endemic setting. We demonstrate that Chagas disease diagnosis prompts cardiac evaluation which often identifies actionable cardiac disease and provides opportunities for prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Reifler
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alyse Wheelock
- Section of Preventative Medicine and Epidemiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Samantha M. Hall
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alejandra Salazar
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Shahzad Hassan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John A. Bostrom
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth D. Barnett
- Section of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Malwina Carrion
- Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Natasha S. Hochberg
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Davidson H. Hamer
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Policy & Research, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Deepa M. Gopal
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel Bourque
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Gabaldón-Figueira JC, Skjefte M, Longhi S, Escabia E, García LJ, Ros-Lucas A, Martínez-Peinado N, Muñoz-Calderón A, Gascón J, Schijman AG, Alonso-Padilla J. Practical diagnostic algorithms for Chagas disease: a focus on low resource settings. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2023; 21:1287-1299. [PMID: 37933443 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2023.2279110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chagas disease, caused by parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is the most important neglected tropical disease in the Americas. Two drugs are available for treatment, but access to them is challenging, in part due to complex diagnostic algorithms. These are stage-dependent, involve multiple tests, and are ill-adapted to the reality of vast areas where the disease is endemic. Molecular and serologic tools are used to detect acute and chronic infections, with the performance of the latter showing geographic differences. Breakthroughs in the development of new diagnostic tools include the validation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for acute infections (T. cruzi-LAMP), and the regional validation of several rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for chronic infection, which simplify testing in resource-limited settings. The literature search was carried out in the MEDLINE database until 1 August 2023. AREAS COVERED This review outlines existing algorithms, and proposes new ones focused on point-of-care testing. EXPERT OPINION Integrating point-of-care testing into existing diagnostic algorithms in certain endemic areas will increase access to timely diagnosis and treatment. However, additional research is needed to validate the use of these techniques across a wider geography, and to better understand the cost-effectiveness of their large-scale implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Malia Skjefte
- Population Services International (PSI), Washington, MA, USA
| | - Silvia Longhi
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr Héctor Torres", INGEBI-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elisa Escabia
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lady Juliette García
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr Héctor Torres", INGEBI-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Albert Ros-Lucas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nieves Martínez-Peinado
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arturo Muñoz-Calderón
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr Héctor Torres", INGEBI-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Joaquim Gascón
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Gabriel Schijman
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr Héctor Torres", INGEBI-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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