Length and caliber of the rectosigmoid colon among patients with Chagas disease and controls from areas at different altitudes.
BACKGROUND
In this study, we investigated radiological changes in the sigmoid colon in chagasic patients by comparing their colon lengths and caliber with those of non-chagasic living in the same region and non-chagasic living at high altitudes.


METHODS
A total of 317 individuals were evaluated using clinical, serological and radiological methods and divided into three groups: 1) one hundred and nine non-chagasic individuals from Uberaba, Brazil; 2) sixty-one non-chagasic from Puno, Peru; 3) one hundred forty-seven chagasics examined in Uberaba, being 62 without megacolon (3A), 72 with megacolon (3B) and 13 with doubtful diagnosis of megacolon (3C).


RESULTS
In group 2, the sigmoid colon had a significantly larger caliber (p=0.001) and the rectosigmoid colon was longer (p<0.001) than group 1. In subgroup 3A, the sigmoid colon (p<0.001) and rectum (p<0.001) had a significantly larger caliber and the rectosigmoid was longer (p<0.001) than that of the non-chagasic individuals. In subgroup 3B, the rectosigmoid was longer in all patients, and the caliber of the sigmoid was significantly larger than that of subjects in subgroups 3A and 3C (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Morphometric analysis confirms that Chagas disease may increase the caliber and length of the rectosigmoid. Our results suggest that altitude, ethnicity and diet may have influenced the size and length of the rectosigmoid of andean patients.
Setor de Radiologia e Diagnóstico por Imagem, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, UberabaMG.
Gesner Pereira
GP
Lopes
Disciplina de Hematologia e Hemoterapia, Hemocentro Regional de Uberaba, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, UberabaMG.
Márcia Maria
MM
Ferreira-Silva
Departamento de Radiologia, Hospital Manuel Nuñes Butron, PunoPeru.
Angel Anibal
AA
Ramos
Disciplina de Hematologia e Hemoterapia, Hemocentro Regional de Uberaba, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, UberabaMG.
Helio
H
Moraes-Souza
Aluízio
A
Prata
Disciplina de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, UberabaMG.
Dalmo
D
Correia
D000531:Altitude; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008531:Megacolon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D010568:Peru; D011859:Radiography; D012007:Rectum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology