Multivariate Statistical Analysis in 2260 Chagasic Patients

pp.17-39

Abstract

Objetive

To evaluate the diverse fators involved in Chagas' disease in a possible relation to the hagasimyoardiopathy.

Material and method

Odds ratios were used as a measure of the association among diverse factors, the result of electrocardiographics and thorax radiography as separate or joint elements as determinants of the chagasic heart ailment. The factors analized in 2,260 chagasic patients, with their concerned cathegories were: gender, age, procedence, staging time in endemic area, epidemiologic fore data, physical examination, presence and character of symptoms, cardiac frequency, arterial pressure, complementary cardiologic studies, laboural insert, antiparasitic and symptomatic treatment; and associated pathologies. Significance of odds ratios were evaluated through the Pearson's hisquare test.

Results

A very lose statistical association (shown as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals), with the presence of disturbances in the eletrocardiographic and thoracic radiography was found to: age over 40 years 8.03 (6.08 to 10.61); higher staging lapse in endemic area:5.49 (2.92 to 10.33);anormal physical condition: 12.16 (8.35 to 17.70); symptoms: 6.90 (5.36 to 8.89); physical stress in hard labour: 5.86 (2.44 to 14.04) and associated pathologies: 4.09 (2.85 to 5.86). Instead the transfusional contagion, the sedentary work, the on natal transmision and the previous specific treatment did not show specific relation with the chagasic myoardiopathy.

Conclusions

The multivariate statistical analysis gave evidence of a possible pathogenic relation of the cardiac chagasic disturbances with the vectorial contagion, the reinfestation and the over stressing physical work out independent to the parasitologic treatment.