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(Hypertension. 2000;36:1035.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Decreased Cardiopulmonary Baroreflex Sensitivity in Chagas’ Heart Disease

Fernanda Marciano Consolim-Colombo; Jose Augusto Barreto Filho; Heno Ferreira Lopes; Carlos Roberto Rodrigues Sobrinho; Maria Estafânia Otto; Grazia Maria Guerra Riccio; Charles Mady; Eduardo Moacyr Krieger

From the Hypertension Unit, Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School (Brazil).

Correspondence to Fernanda Marciano Consolim-Colombo, MD, PhD, Heart Institute (InCor), Hypertension Unit, Av Dr Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar 44, São Paulo, 05403-000 Brazil. E-mail hipfernanda{at}incor.usp.br

Abstract—No study has been performed on reflexes originating from receptors in the heart that might be involved in the pathological lesions of Chagas’ heart disease. Our study was undertaken to analyze the role of cardiopulmonary reflex on cardiovascular control in Chagas’ disease. We studied 14 patients with Chagas’ disease without heart failure and 12 healthy matched volunteers. Central venous pressure, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, forearm blood flow, and forearm vascular resistance were recorded during deactivation of cardiopulmonary receptors. By reducing central venous pressure by applying -10 and -15 mm Hg of negative pressure to the lower body, we observed (a) a similar decrease of central venous pressure in both groups; (b) a marked increase in forearm vascular resistance in the control group but a blunted increase in the Chagas’ group; and (c) no significant changes in blood pressure and heart rate. To analyze cardiopulmonary and arterial receptors, we applied -40 mm Hg of lower-body negative pressure. As a consequence, (a) central venous pressure decreased similarly in both groups; (b) blood pressure was maintained in the control group, whereas in patients with Chagas’ disease, a decrease in systolic and mean arterial pressure occurred; (c) heart rate increased in both groups; and (d) forearm vascular resistance increased significantly and similarly in both groups. Unloading of receptors with low levels of lower-body negative pressure did not increase forearm vascular resistance in patients with Chagas’ disease, which suggests that the reflex mediated by cardiopulmonary receptors is impaired in patients with Chagas’ disease without heart failure. Overall control of circulation appears to be compromised because patients did not maintain blood pressure under high levels of lower-body negative pressure.

Key Words: baroreflex • heart rate • autonomic nervous system • cardiovascular diseases • baroreceptors

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