Chagas' cardioneuropathy: effect of ganglioside treatment in chronic dysautonomic patients--a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study.
To date, there is no effective pharmacologic treatment for Chagas' cardioneuropathy, one of the most common causes of congestive heart failure and sudden death in the world. Fifty-eight adults with positive serology for Chagas' disease and abnormal autonomic nervous system tests participated in this placebo-controlled clinical trial with Cronassial (mixed gangliosides), 40 mg daily intramuscular injection for 4 or 8 weeks. We measured postural response (heart rate, systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure changes in response to standing); heart rate changes induced by cough and hyperventilation reflex tests; dizziness on standing; number of stress-induced arrhythmias; and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive T-lymphocyte percentage in blood samples. Cronassial is safe and significantly improves systolic blood pressure (p = 0.050) and double product responses to postural stress (p = 0.028), hyperventilation heart rate response (p = 0.007), frequency of dizziness episodes (p less than 0.001), number of arrhythmias (p = 0.033), and percentage of PAS-positive T-lymphocyte counts (p less than 0.001) compared with placebo.
Iosa
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D
Centro Privado de Medicina, Fidia Pharmaceutical Corp., Còrdoba, Argentina.
Massari
D C
DC
Dorsey
F C
FC
D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology
D005732:Gangliosides; C037470:cronassial