title: [Prevalence of autoantibodies against autonomic receptors in patients with chronic cardiopathies].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chagas disease is the main cause of chronic myocardiopathy in Central America. The mechanisms proposed for this cardiac pathology during the chronic phase remain controversial. Several studies have detected the presence of circulating autoantibodies against beta-adrenergic and cholinergic muscarinic receptors of the myocardium in patients with Chagas disease. These autoantibodies can trigger intracellular signals and modify the cardiac function during the progression of the disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The serological frequency of these autoantibodies was compared among patients with chronic Chagas disease, patients with other cardiopathies and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of autoantibodies against beta-adrenergic and cholinergic muscarinic receptors was determined in four groups of Panamenian patients: 53 chagasic patients, 25 serologically negative patients with cardiac insufficiency, 25 patients with cardiac arrhythmia and 25 healthy individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The antibodies against autonomic receptors were more frequently observed in patients with chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (24.5%) compared to the cardiac insufficiency group (20.0%) and the cardiac arrhythmia group (16.0%). The proportion of autoantibodies was significantly different between the groups with chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy and healthy controls (24.5% versus 0%; p = 0.015). Of the 53 chronically infected chagasic patients, 48 (90%) showed some degree of cardiac dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of autoantibodies against autonomic receptors is significantly increased in patients with chronic Chagas disease and in patients with other cardiopathies.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Ciudad de Panama, Panama.
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Calzada
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garisto
authors.forename: Salomón
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zebede
authors.forename: Salomón
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zebedes
authors.forename: Franklyn E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Samudio
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blandón
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Avilés
authors.forename: Azael
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saldaña
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010176:Panama; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000276:immunology*; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic