title: Left Atrial Function in Patients with Chronic Chagasic Cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chagas disease is a cause of dilated cardiomyopathy, and information about left atrial (LA) function in this disease still lacks.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the different LA functions (reservoir, conduit and pump functions) and their correlation with the echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 control subjects (CG), and patients with Chagas disease as follows: 26 with the indeterminate form (GI); 30 with ECG alterations (GII); and 19 with LV dysfunction (GIII). All patients underwent M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography, pulsed-wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reservoir function (Total Emptying Fraction: TEF): (p <0.0001), lower in GIII as compared to CG (p = 0.003), GI (p <0.001) and GII (p <0.001). Conduit function (Passive Emptying Fraction: PEF): (p = 0.004), lower in GIII (GIII and CG, p = 0.06; GI and GII, p = 0.06; and GII and GIII, p = 0.07). Pump function (Active Emptying Fraction: AEF): (p = 0.0001), lower in GIII as compared to CG (p = 0.05), GI (p<0.0001) and GII (p = 0.002). There was a negative correlation of E/e' (average) with the reservoir and pump functions (TEF and AEF), and a positive correlation of e' (average) with s' wave (both septal and lateral walls) and the reservoir, conduit and pump LA functions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An impairment of LA functions in Chagas cardiomyopathy was observed.
authors.affiliation: Seção Médica de Eletrofisiologia, Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Claudia da Silva
authors.initials: Cda S
authors.lastname: Fragata
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Afonso Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Felix J A
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ramires
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Paula de Cássia
authors.initials: Pde C
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Vera Maria C
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Salemi
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nastari
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mady
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Barbara Maria
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ianni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*