Methods and Early Results: Study design, population, and procedures (CC with HFrEF) and initial outcomes

Anotacoes

Study Design and Population We conducted a prospective observational study that included adult patients (≥18 years) receiving care at the HF Clinic of a tertiary hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, between June 2017 and December 2023. The study cohort comprised individuals with a prior diagnosis of Chagas disease (CD) and HFrEF, defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≤40% on transthoracic echocardiography, who were consecutively re- ferred for ICD or CRT-D implantation. The diagnosis of CD was confirmed through two independent serological tests—an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or indirect J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 4862 3 of 12 immunofluorescence (IFI). Other echocardiographic findings (beyond reduced ejection fraction) or electrocardiographic abnormalities, such as right bundle-branch block, were not required for inclusion to ensure a broad CC cohort reflective of real-world clinical practice, but they were recorded when present. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the 2021 CKD-EPI equation, which incorporates age, sex, and serum creatinine levels [11]. The exclusion criteria included the absence of an eGFR measurement ...