Does Galectin-3 (Myocardial Fibrosis Biomarker) Predict Progression in Chagas Disease?

In recent decades, the epidemiology of Chagas disease (Chd) has changed significantly as a consequence of urbanization and migration. In Brazil, to date, it is the neglected disease with the highest burden, of which ~30% of individuals will progress to the symptomatic tissue disruptive stage within 20 – 30 years after being infected (around 2% per year progress from the indeterminate to the cardiac form, according to a contemporary study).

Persistent myocardial inflammation and fibrosis represent the main pathological characteristics of Chd that would be correlated with its progression.^, The use of myocardial fibrosis biomarkers to predict progression in patients with normal or near normal LV function is certainly important in Chd, where traditional risk factors, such as LVEF, may not be as useful. Nevertheless, studies have shown the value of myocardial fibrosis biomarkers in the progression of Chd pathogenesis.

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