Bioenergetic studies in residents at high altitude (2,850 m) with asymptomatic Chagas'disease

Abstract

Summary. Cardiovascular response and working capacity were studied at rest and during a 125 W exercise in residents at high altitude (2,850 m), comparing 2l asymptomatic (normal EKG) bul T. cruzi infected subjects (positive serology) to 2l healty controls (negative serology). Ages, anthropometric, nutritional. and hematological data were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05), indicating the homogeneily of the studied population. Cardiac axis, heart rales, and oxygen uptakes, were not different between the two groups, at rest and/or during exercise (P > 0.05). At rest, diastolic and systolic pressures were significantly lower in the infected group than in the control group (P < 0.05). During exercise and recovery at the 1st and 5th min, diastolic pressure was also significantly lower in infected patients than in conlrol group whereas systolic pressure was significantly lower only during recovery at 5th min. The calculated VO, max were similar in the two groups, indicating a normal working capacity for the studied asymptomatic infected patients. The altitude does not seem to affect the responses to exercise, since the results obtained at high altitude were similar to those obtained at sea level (Macedo et al., 1973).