Cholinesterase activity was measured in the plasma and erythrocytes from 10 healthy individuals and 26 chronic chagasic patients. The chronic chagasic patients were distributed in 3 groups: 6 chagasic patients with compensated heart failure; 10 chagasic patients with cardiopathy but without heart failure; and 10 chagasic patients with the indeterminateform. The enzymatic levels achieved in plasma and erythrocytes were. respectively: 2,196 ± 442 UI/L and 19.4 ± 3.3 Ul/g Hb from Controls; 2,291 ±317 UI/L and 19.2 ±3.7 Ul/g Hb from chagasic patients with compensated heart failure; 2,445 ±357 UI/L and 18.3 ± 3.0 Ul/g Hb from chagasic patients with cardiopathy but without heart failure and 2,006 ± 327 UI/L and 17.8 ± 3.1 Ul/g Hb from chagasic patients with the indeterminate form. Our data show that neuronal injury in the chronic cardiopathy is not sufficient to promote significant alterations (p > 0,05) in the cholinesterase activity in the plasma and erythrocytes.
Cholinesterase activity; Chagas' disease; Chagasic cardiopathy; Indeterminate form