Endothelial Function Is Preserved in Chagas' Heart Disease Patients Without Heart Failure

Endothelium may be damaged, especially at the coronary microcirculation, in animal models of Chagas' disease by several mechanisms. Endothelial dysfunction has been reported in chronic Chagas' heart disease patients with heart failure. Nevertheless, peripheral endothelial function has never been studied in patients with Chagas' heart disease without heart failure and other conditions that could per se alter the endothelial function. Endothelial function was evaluated in 9 patients with Chagas' heart disease (44.8 ± 1.5 years, 5 females, left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 60%) and 10 healthy matched controls (38.6 ± 5.5 years, 5 females). Extreme caution was exercised to select patients with no other conditions that could per se alter the endothelial function. Forearm blood flow was measured at baseline and during intrabrachial artery infusion of crescent doses of acetylcholine (0.75, 5, and 15 μg/100 mL tissue/min) and nitroprusside (1, 2, and 4 μg/ 100 mL tissue/min), an endothelium-dependent and an en...