What is it about?
We examined people in the Brazilian Amazon with previous Dengue infection, and found that men with a history of Dengue had a slightly lower pumping function of their heart, while there was no effect in women.
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Why is it important?
In recent years, there has been increased awareness of the effect of infectious diseases on non-communicable diseases such as heart disease. The mechanism is currently not clear, but it may be due to increased inflammation in the cardiac tissue. The prevalence of Dengue is increasing globally, as temperatures rise and people move to the cities, and therefore we set out to explore whether this disease could pose an even greater health problem than previously thought
Perspectives
This study highlights the potential role of Dengue in the increased prevalence of heart disease in low income tropical countries. This is another example of an infectious disease increasing the risk of permanent heart disease. Furthermore, the study highlights the use of ultrasound in low income settings, as it is a quick and cheap way of diagnosing heart disease. However, more studies should be conducted to confirm these results.
Molly Dam Kaagaard
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Potential role of transthoracic echocardiography for screening LV systolic dysfunction in patients with a history of dengue infection. A cross-sectional and cohort study and review of the literature, PLOS One, November 2022, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276725.
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