[Vector electrocardiographic findings in chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy].

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) is associated with many diseases. By means of epidemiologic, clinical and invasive diagnostic techniques, the etiology of DCM is identified almost in 50% of the cases. Chronic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi is recognized as a cause of DCM in Latin America. A blind study of 40 cases of DCM explores the electrovectorcardiographic data obtained in chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC). Twenty one of 40 patients fulfilled epidemiologic and seroimmunologic criteria for CCC, 19 had DCM. There were not differences between these groups in regard to sex or age. Patients suffering DCM had in addition diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension or ischemic heart disease. Those with CCC had not comorbid diseases in 50% of the cases. Arrhythmias and conduction blocks were equally recognized in both groups, as well as ECG evidence of injury or necrosis (p > 0.05). However, ECG signs of subepicardial ischemia were a dominant feature in patients with CCC and normal epicardial coronary arteries (p < 0.05). Probably this finding is due to a small vessels damage, a pathogenic mechanism proposed in CCC.