Peculiar aspects of cardiogenic embolism in patients with Chagas' cardiomyopathy: a transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic study.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to detect cardiac thrombi by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in patients with Chagas' cardiomyopathy and to determine the relationship of these thrombi with left ventricular systolic function and with the presence of stroke.

BACKGROUND

Thromboembolic events are a serious complication of Chagas' cardiomyopathy. Because most data come from autopsy studies, the prevalence of cardiac thrombi for patients who are clinically stable is unknown.

METHODS

A total of 75 patients (52 men; mean age 48 +/- 13 years) with Chagas' cardiomyopathy were prospectively studied by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and followed for 24 +/- 10 months.

RESULTS

In all, 14 patients (19%) had a history of stroke at the time of enrollment and two had this complication at follow-up. Most patients (88%) were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes I and II and 9 (12%) were in classes III and IV. Mean ejection fraction was 40 +/- 13%. A total of 17 patients (23%) had left ventricular thrombus on transthoracic echocardiography and this finding was associated with a history of stroke ( P = .01). Apical aneurysm occurred in 35 patients (47%) and it was associated both with thrombus and stroke ( P = .04). Strokes were more frequent ( P = .04) among patients with mild systolic dysfunction (57% of patients with strokes were in NYHA I). Four patients (5%) had thrombi at the left atrial appendage, and one (1%) at the right atrial appendage. A total of 13 patients (17%) died at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Stroke was frequent in Chagas' cardiomyopathy and associated with mild systolic dysfunction and with intracardiac thrombi. These occurred mainly in the typical apical aneurysm of Chagas' disease.