Use of Approximation Entropy for Stratification of Risk in Patients With Chagas Disease

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization, the number of people infected with Trypanosoma Cruzi is estimated between 6 and 7 million, the causative agent of Chagas disease, and in 550000 people exposed to the risk of affectation. The approximate entropy was used to quantify the regularity of the tachograms of patients with Chagas disease. The study population consisted of three groups of volunteers: 92 controls (C), 102 patients with positive serology without cardiac involvement diagnosed by conventional non-invasive methods (CH1) and 107 patients with positive serology and mild to moderate incipient heart failure (CH2). We analyzed RR segments of 5 minutes, 288 segments, corresponding to 24 hours per patient. We found significant differences between the Control and CH2 groups, which is used to stratify risk in the CH1 group.