Brucellosis impairs endothelial functions in chronic symptomatic XXXX without overt cardiac involvement.

@entity1 @entity3377 @entity233 @entity384 @entity221 @entity1295 @entity450 @entity4841 @entity166
OBJECTIVE: Brucellosis is an important @entity166 , especially in developing countries, and may involve any organ, including the cardiovascular system. This study aimed to assess cardiac and endothelial functions in @entity3377 @entity1 . METHODS: Seventy-three @entity1 with @entity3377 and seventy-five healthy volunteers from @entity233 were enrolled between 2011 and 2013 in this cross-sectional study. Diagnosis was established by the Rose-Bengal test, positive Brucella standart tube agglutination test, and Coombs STA and/or isolation Brucella species from blood. Cases were divided into three groups: Group I; acute @entity3377 , Group II; subacute @entity3377 , and Group III; chronic @entity3377 . Healthy individuals comprised Group IV. All @entity1 underwent transthoracic echocardiography and brachial artery @entity384 ( @entity384 ) test. RESULTS: Groups I to IV comprised 35, 18, and 20 @entity1 , and 75 controls respectively. The most frequent symptoms were @entity4841 (82%), @entity221 (92%), and @entity1295 (97%). Echocardiography revealed no difference among the 4 groups regarding left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions and valvular functions. Brachial artery diameter after @entity450 was significantly different among the groups (p=0.002). Post hoc test showed Group III to have significantly lower brachial artery diameter after @entity450 compared to other groups (p=0.02, p=0.004 and p=0.001, respectively). @entity384 was also significantly lower in Group III compared to Groups I, II and IV (p<0.001 for each). CONCLUSION: Brucellosis impairs endothelial functions in chronic symptomatic @entity1 without overt cardiac involvement.
