title: Chagas' disease and ageing: the coexistence of other chronic diseases with Chagas' disease in elderly patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Rosalía Matera de Angelis
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Raquel Prado
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Thomaz
authors.forename: Eros Antônio de
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Jamiro da Silva
authors.initials: Jda S
authors.lastname: Wanderley
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Guariento
mesh_terms: 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