[Acute-phase reaction and parasitism in the central adrenal vein in Chagas' disease patients]

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 1994 Apr-Jun;27(2):83-6. doi: 10.1590/s0037-86821994000200005.
[Article in Portuguese]

Abstract

The systemic reaction to severe trauma and/or infection, acute phase response (APR), are often associated with immunosuppression and reactivation of chronic latent infection. Our main purpose was to verify, in a group of 71 autopsied chronic chagasic with or without APR, the frequency of T. cruzi nests in the central vein of adrenal gland (CVAG). APR, defined by: 1) death secondary to sepsis and/or trauma plus, 2) bleeding stress gastric ulcerations or 3) spleen reactional state or 4) liver steatosis, was observed in 30 chronic chagasic (APR+). Weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were obtained. APR(+) chronic chagasic had worse nutritional status than APR(-) ones: weight = 49.0 vs 54.5 kg; BMI = 17.5 vs 20.6 kg/m2 (median p < 0.05). CVAG T. cruzi nests frequency were similar (43.3% and 43.9%, respectively) between both Groups. We conclude that APR(+) chronic chagasic had worse nutritional status than APR(-) ones, and that APR development did not change the CVAG T. cruzi nests frequency.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute-Phase Reaction / immunology*
  • Acute-Phase Reaction / parasitology*
  • Adrenal Glands / blood supply*
  • Adrenal Glands / parasitology*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Chagas Disease / immunology*
  • Chagas Disease / parasitology*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nutritional Status
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / isolation & purification
  • Veins / parasitology