title: Chagas disease is an independent risk factor for stroke: baseline characteristics of a Chagas Disease cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chagas disease (CD) is frequently associated with cardioembolic stroke in South America. Our objective was to identify the predictors of stroke in a region where CD is endemic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We screened 305 consecutive cardiopathy patients. Significant predictors of stroke in univariable analyses were included in a multivariable model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stroke was more frequent in CD (15.0%) compared with other cardiopathies (6.3%; P=0.015). Other predictors of stroke in univariable analyses were previous diabetes or cardioversion and use of amiodarone, antiplatelet agents, and warfarin. In multivariable analysis, remaining predictors of stroke were CD (odds ratio [OR], 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.17), cardioversion (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.13), and diabetes (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.24).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, CD is a risk factor for stroke, independent of systolic dysfunction or presence of cardiac arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Cardiomyopathy Clinic, Hospital Universitário Professor Edgard Santos, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. jamaryof@ufba.br
authors.forename: Jamary
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliveira-Filho
authors.forename: Leila C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Rodrigo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Vieira-de-Melo
authors.forename: Frederico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faiçal
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Torreão
authors.forename: Flávio A G A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: Francisco J F B
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014859:Warfarin; D000638:Amiodarone