Disfagia orofaríngea na doença de Chagas crônica: avaliação fonoaudiológica, videofluoroscópica e esofagomanométrica

Objetivo: Em pacientes chagásicos crônicos, determinar a frequência dos episódios de penetração e aspiração laríngea e avaliar sua relação de interpretação, não só com os padrões exibidos na videofluoroscopia e na esofagomanometria, mas também, com a triagem clínica, a avaliação fonoaudiológica estrutural e funcional. Método: 22 indivíduos foram incluídos no estudo, sendo 15 mulheres e 7 homens, média de idade de 55,9 ± 10,2. Os pacientes foram submetidos à avaliação clínica, fonoaudiológica (estrutural e funcional), e aos exames de videofluoroscopia e esofagomanometria computadorizada. Resultados: Dentre as queixas na triagem clínica, 18,2% relataram engasgos, 13,6% pigarro, 40,9% azia, 22,7% regurgitação e 36,4% sensação de alimento parado na garganta. Apenas 18,2% apresentavam uma dentição adequada. Na avaliação funcional da deglutição 31,8% tiveram diagnóstico de deglutição funcional. Na videofluoroscopia foi encontrada permanência de resíduos na faringe em 18,2% dos casos, seguida de deglutições múltiplas em 95,4% e escape posterior em 100%. Observou-se 4 casos de penetração laríngea de grau 2 (disfagia) e em 82% dos casos os achados foram semelhantes entre a videofluoroscopia e avaliação funcional da deglutição, quanto a não ocorrência de penetração laríngea. Os valores de abertura do esfíncter esofágico superior indicam uma relação com o volume de bolo deglutido. Já na manometria foram encontrados 42,1% de alterações em corpo do esôfago e 5,3% em faringe. Conclusão: A penetração laríngea foi prevalente em 18,2% dos casos com uma relação de interpretação importante entre a avaliação fonoaudiológica funcional e os achados videofluoroscópicos, quanto à ausência de penetração laríngea, com resultados semelhantes em 82% dos casos.Objective: To determine the frequency of episodes of laryngeal penetration and aspiration in chronic Chagas patients and to evaluate the interpreted relationship not only with the patterns displayed in videofluoroscopy and manometry, but also with clinical screening and structural and functional phonoaudiological evaluation. Method: Clinical and phonoaudiological (structural and functional) evaluation, fluoroscopy, and computed manometry were performed on all patients. Results: Twenty-two patients were included in the study, fifteen females and seven males. Age ranged between 37 and 70 years, mean 55.9 ± 10.2 years. Among the complaints in clinical screening, 18.2% were choking, 13.6% reported throat-clearing, 40.9% heartburn, 22.7% regurgitation, and 36.4% had the sensation of food stuck in the throat. Only 18.2% of patients had adequate dentition. Functional assessment of swallowing detected only 31.8% capable of functional swallowing. In videofluoroscopy, lingering residues were found in the pharynx in 18.2% of cases, followed by multiple swallows 95.4% and 100% posterior escape. There were 4 cases of grade 2 laryngeal penetration (dysphagia) and, in 82% of cases, the findings were similar for the non-occurrence of laryngeal penetration in the videofluoroscopy and in the functional assessment of swallowing. The apertures of the upper esophageal sphincter indicated a relationship with the volume of swallowed bolus. In the manometry, 42.1% of changes were found in the body of the esophagus and 5.3% in the pharynx. Conclusion: Laryngeal penetration was prevalent in 18.2% of cases with an important interpretation of the functional relationship between clinical assessment and videofluoroscopic findings regarding the absence of laryngeal penetration, with similar results in 82% of cases

Ventilatory response during exercise among chronic Chagas cardiopathy patients

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The change in slope of the VE/VCO2 curve with time during exercise (VE/VCO2 slope) has been recommended as a parameter for analyzing the ventilatory response during exercise among patients with heart failure of different etiologies. The aim of this work was to evaluate the ventilatory response among patients with chronic Chagas cardiopathy. METHODS: Forty-eight patients, divided into four groups according to the Los Andes clinical/hemodynamic classification, were studied. They were also classified according to peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) for a second analysis. The results from the patients were compared with results from a control group consisting of 21 healthy male volunteers (no Chagas disease). Exercise was performed on a cycle ergometer with loads increasing at the rate of 12.5 watts/min, and exercise duration was symptom-limited. Gas concentration and flow rate data were fed into a computer, which produced a real-time report on ventilatory and gas exchange parameters (breath-by-breath). The ventilatory parameters of VE/VCO2 slope and VE/VCO2 ratio computed at different times of the test were adopted. RESULTS: Although there were no significant differences in VE/VCO2 ratio and VE/VCO2 slope when patients were grouped using the Los Andes clinical/hemodynamic classification, these parameters varied significantly when peak VO2 was used to define patient groups. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that progressive deterioration in ventilatory response among chronic Chagas cardiopathy patients during exercise is more evident when the functional capacity (peak VO2) is reduced, than when changes are related to the Los Andes classification