Key result
Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy linked to ~4.4-fold higher NSVT prevalence vs ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Why the study?
Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy exhibits high arrhythmic risk despite preserved systolic function, challenging LVEF-based stratification.
Does chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy confer a higher arrhythmic burden independent of LVEF compared to ischemic cardiomyopathy in patients with symptomatic heart failure?
Cross-Sectional (n=146)
No
Does chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy confer a higher arrhythmic burden independent of LVEF compared to ischemic cardiomyopathy in patients with symptomatic heart failure?
Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy confers a significantly higher arrhythmic burden than ischemic cardiomyopathy with comparable systolic dysfunction, highlighting that LVEF alone is an insufficient marker for sudden cardiac death risk stratification in these patients.
LVEF may underestimate arrhythmic risk in Chagas cardiomyopathy; challenges LVEF-centric models and leaves open need for prospective validation.
Background Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC) exhibits high arrhythmic risk despite preserved systolic function, challenging LVEF‐based stratification. Methods We performed a cross‐sectional analysis of 146 heart failure patients (75 CCC, 71 Ischemic Cardiomyopathy [IC]) with comparable age, LVEF, and NT‐proBNP. Results CCC patients had a higher arrhythmic burden and NSVT prevalence (RR 4.37, 95% CI 1.67–11.39). NSVT prevalence in CCC was similar regardless of LVEF ( p = 0.707). Conventional heart failure severity markers, including worse global and regional strain, were associated with NSVT in IC but not in CCC, where atrial fibrillation ( p = 0.002) and ventricular aneurysms ( p = 0.033) were the primary associated variables. Conclusions Arrhythmic vulnerability in CCC appears decoupled from LVEF, suggesting that complementary substrate‐based markers may improve risk stratification in this population.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Echeverria et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Heart Failure (Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy vs. Ischemic Cardiomyopathy) (n=146). Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy vs. Ischemic cardiomyopathy was evaluated on Prevalence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) (RR 4.37, 95% CI 1.67-11.39, p=0.002). Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia compared to ischemic cardiomyopathy (30.7% vs. 7.0%, RR 4.37).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: