Assessment of Rectocolonic Morphology and Function in Patients with Chagas Disease in Barcelona (Spain) |
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Authors: | Fernando Salvador Marianela Mego Adrián Sánchez-Montalvá María Morís Kathleen Ramírez Ana Accarino Juan-Ramon Malagelada Fernando Azpiroz Israel Molina |
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Affiliation: | Department of Infectious Diseases, Vall d''Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain; PROSICS, Barcelona, Spain; Digestive System Research Unit, University Hospital Vall d''Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (Ciberehd), Department of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Radiology, Vall d''Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain |
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Abstract: | The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between colonic symptoms, radiological abnormalities, and anorectal dysfunction in patients with Chagas disease. We performed a cross-sectional study of untreated patients diagnosed with Chagas disease. All patients were evaluated clinically (by a questionnaire for colonic symptoms based on Rome III criteria) and underwent a barium enema and anorectal manometry. A control group of patients with functional constipation and without Chagas disease was included in the study. Overall, 69 patients were included in the study: 42 patients were asymptomatic and 27 patients had abdominal symptoms according to Rome III criteria. Anorectal manometry showed a higher proportion of abnormalities in symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic ones (73% versus 21%, respectively; P < 0.0001). Megarectum was detected in a similar proportion in the different subgroups regardless of the presence of symptoms or abnormalities in anorectal functions. Among non-Chagas disease patients with functional constipation, 90% had an abnormal anorectal manometry study. Patients with Chagas disease present a high proportion of constipation with dyssynergic defecation in anorectal manometry but a low prevalence of impaired rectoanal inhibitory reflex, although these abnormalities may be nonspecific for Chagas disease. The presence of megarectum is a nonspecific finding. |
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