Chagas' disease and ageing: the coexistence of other chronic diseases with Chagas' disease in elderly patients.
This study aimed to identify the main comorbidities in elderly chagasic patients treated in a reference service and identify possible associations between the clinical form of Chagas' disease and chronic diseases. Ninety patients aged 60 years-old or over were interviewed and their clinical diagnoses recorded. The study population profile was: women (55.6%); median age (67 years); married (51.1%); retired (73.3%); up to four years' education (64.4%); and earning less than two minimum wages (67.8%). The predominant forms of Chagas' disease were the cardiac (46.7%) and mixed forms (30%). There was a greater proportion of mild cardiac dysfunction (84.1%), frequently in association with megaesophagus. The mean number of concurrent diseases was 2.856 +/- 1.845, and 33% of the patients had four or more comorbidities. The most frequent were systemic arterial hypertension (56.7%), osteoporosis (23.3%), osteoarthritis (21.2%) and dyslipidemia (20%). Positive correlations were verified between sex and comorbidities and between age group and comorbidities.
Alves
Rosalía Matera de Angelis
RM
Grupo de Estudos em Doença de Chagas, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP. drarosa@fcm.unicamp.br
Thomaz
Raquel Prado
RP
Almeida
Eros Antônio de
EA
Wanderley
Jamiro da Silva
Jda S
Guariento
Maria Elena
ME
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008531:Megacolon / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index