Risk of Chronic Cardiomyopathy Development and Its Determinants in Patients with the Acute Phase and Indeterminate Form of Chagas Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Recognition and screening for Chagas disease in the USA

“…Of those who progress into chronic CD, most individuals remain asymptomatic, but in endemic countries, the annual rate of progression to cardiomyopathy is 2% among the indeterminate form and as high as 4% for the acute phase. 51 Overall, up to 30% of those infected progress to the chronic phase with cardiac manifestations or digestive involvement. 52 The underlying factors associated with disease progression and discriminant, progressive cardiac biomarkers are largely unknown.…”

“…Right bundle branch block combined with left anterior fascicular block is a common manifestation, but a wide range of ECG alterations may occur. 50 , 51 , 53 , 54 Around 20–30 % develop significant symptomatic cardiac disease with varying degrees of fibrosis of the myocardium. These abnormalities contribute to the clinical manifestations that include symptomatic bradyarrhythmia, tachyarrhythmia, thromboembolic phenomenon from left ventricular aneurysms, sudden death, and congestive heart failure.…”