SynthesisPLoS neglected tropical diseases2018
Electrocardiographic abnormalities in Chagas disease in the general population: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
54 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 87 citations in OpenAlex.
- Brazilian Guideline for Exercise Test in the Adult Population - 2024.Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · 2024Guideline
- SBC Guideline on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients with Cardiomyopathy of Chagas Disease - 2023.Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · 2023Guideline
- Maskerading Bundle Branch Block Versus Standard Bifascicular Block: A Prognostic Analysis Results Through Electrophysiological Study.Annals of noninvasive electrocardiology : the official journal of the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Inc · 2026Article
- Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and conduction abnormalities in Chagas disease: a systematic review and an updated meta-analysis.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2026Article
- Long-Lasting Antibody and CD8Vaccines · 2026Article
- Cardiac imaging in Chagas cardiomyopathy for phenotypic characterisation and risk stratification.Heart failure reviews · 2026Review
- Factors associated with major electrocardiographic abnormalities in chagas disease patients: SaMi-trop cohort.International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature · 2026Article
- Left Atrial Thrombus and Cardioembolic Stroke in Chagas Cardiomyopathy Presenting with Atrial Flutter: A Case Report.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Sex in Immune Cells and Parasitic Diseases - A Complex Relationship.Immunological reviews · 2026Review
- Beyond cardiac embolism and cryptogenic stroke: unveiling the mechanisms of cerebrovascular events in Chagas disease.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2025Review
- Epidemiology and Short-Term Outcomes of Heart Failure With Preserved and Mildly Reduced Ejection Fraction in Colombia: Insights of the Colombian Heart Failure Registry (RECOLFACA).Cardiology research · 2025Article
- Immunologic changes in the peripheral blood transcriptome of individuals with early-stage chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy: a cross-sectional study.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2025Article
- Sexual dimorphism-driven differences are overcome in a preclinical vaccine model againstFrontiers in immunology · 2025Article
- Bridging the Nervous-Endocrine System and Immune Response, in Human Chagas Disease Pathology.Neuroimmunomodulation · 2025Review
- Mechanisms behind the high mortality rate in chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy: Unmasking a three-headed monster.European journal of heart failure · 2024Review
- Cardiac involvement in Chagas disease and African trypanosomiasis.Nature reviews. Cardiology · 2024Review
- Causality and Severity of Adverse Reactions and Biochemical Changes to Benznidazole Treatment in Patients with Chronic Chagas Disease.Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · 2024Article
- Unraveling the Missing Pieces: Exploring the Gaps in Understanding Chagas Cardiomyopathy.Cureus · 2024Review
- Cardiovascular Statistics - Brazil 2023.Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · 2024Article
- Cardiac Abnormalities in a Predictive Mouse Model of Chagas Disease.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
15 authors at 7 institutions in 6 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundChagas disease (CD) is a major public health concern in Latin America and a potentially serious emerging threat in non-endemic countries. Although the association between CD and cardiac abnormalities is widely reported, study design diversity, sample size and quality challenge the information, calling for its update and synthesis, which would be very useful and relevant for physicians in non-endemic countries where health care implications of CD are real and neglected. We performed to systematically review and meta-analyze population-based studies that compared prevalence of overall and specific ECG abnormalities between CD and non-CD participants in the general population.
methodsSix databases (EMBASE, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, Google Scholar and Lilacs) were searched systematically. Observational studies were included. Odds ratios (OR) were computed using random-effects model.
resultsForty-nine studies were selected, including 34,023(12,276 CD and 21,747 non-CD). Prevalence of overall ECG abnormalities was higher in participants with CD (40.1%; 95%CIs=39.2-41.0) compared to non-CD (24.1%; 95%CIs=23.5-24.7) (OR=2.78; 95%CIs=2.37-3.26). Among specific ECG abnormalities, prevalence of complete right bundle branch block (RBBB) (OR=4.60; 95%CIs=2.97-7.11), left anterior fascicular block (LAFB) (OR=1.60; 95%CIs=1.21-2.13), combination of complete RBBB/LAFB (OR=3.34; 95%CIs=1.76-6.35), first-degree atrioventricular block (A-V B) (OR=1.71; 95%CIs=1.25-2.33), atrial fibrillation (AF) or flutter (OR=2.11; 95%CIs=1.40-3.19) and ventricular extrasystoles (VE) (OR=1.62; 95%CIs=1.14-2.30) was higher in CD compared to non-CD participants.
conclusionsThis systematic review and meta-analysis provides an update and synthesis in this field. This research of observational studies indicates a significant excess in prevalence of ECG abnormalities (40.1%) related to T. cruzi infection in the general population from Chagas endemic regions, being the most common ventricular (RBBB and LAFB), and A-V B (first-degree) node conduction abnormalities as well as arrhythmias (AF or flutter and VE). Also, prevalence of ECG alterations in children was similar to that in adults and suggests earlier onset of cardiac disease.
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Registered trials
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