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Background: A better understanding of the consequences of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on lifestyle of patients with Chagas disease (ChD) is of paramount importance to facilitate the implementation of intervention strategies tailored to this specific population., Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the level of physical activity (PA) in Chagas disease (ChD) patients during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its main associated factors., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with 187 patients of both sexes, aged ≥18 years, followed in a national infectious disease center (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The level of PA was determined by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short version and expressed in terms of total volume of physical activity (PA) (MET-minutes per week). Individuals were classified as physically active following the 2020 World Health Organization PA guideline. The exposure variables were age, sex, race, marital status, schooling, income per capita , number of rooms per domicile, number of residents per domicile, body mass index, clinical form of ChD, COVID-19 antibodies, comorbidities, self-reported anxiety, self-reported depression, self-reported fear, and self-reported sadness. The association between the exposure variables with total PA (as a continuous variable) was determined using univariate and multivariate linear regression models., Results: Mean age was 61.1 ± 11.6 years. Most (62%) were women and self-declared their race as mixed (50.8%). The percentage of physically active individuals according to was 52%. The variables independently associated with total PA levels were non-white race (Exp β = 1.39; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.90), dyslipidemia (Exp β = 0.73; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.95) and self-reported depression during quarantine (Exp β = 0.71; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.96)., Conclusion: Non-white race was positively associated with total levels of PA, while dyslipidemia, and self-reported depression during quarantine were negatively associated with total levels of PA. The identification of associated factors can facilitate the development of tailored strategies to increase PA levels ChD patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xavier, Andrade, Vitor, Barros, Portela, de Holanda, Sangenis, Sperandio da Silva, Mazzoli-Rocha, Mendes, da Costa, Quintana, Hasslocher-Moreno, Araujo, Junqueira, Pinheiro, Georg, Paravidino, Gonçalves, Saraiva and Mediano.)

Background: Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected endemic disease with worldwide impact due to migration. Approximately 50-70% of individuals in the chronic phase of CD present the indeterminate form, characterized by parasitological and/or serological evidence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, but without clinical signs and symptoms. Subclinical abnormalities have been reported in indeterminate form of CD, including pro-inflammatory states and alterations in cardiac function, biomarkers and autonomic modulation. Moreover, individuals with CD are usually impacted on their personal and professional life, making social insertion difficult and impacting their mental health and quality of life (QoL). Physical exercise has been acknowledged as an important strategy to prevent and control numerous chronic-degenerative diseases, but unexplored in individuals with the indeterminate form of CD. The PEDI-CHAGAS study (which stands for "Home-Based Exercise Program in the Indeterminate Form of Chagas Disease" in Portuguese) aims to evaluate the effects of a home-based exercise program on physical and mental health outcomes in individuals with indeterminate form of CD., Methods and Design: The PEDI-CHAGAS is a two-arm (exercise and control) phase 3 superiority randomized clinical trial including patients with indeterminate form of CD. The exclusion criteria are <18 years old, evidence of non-Chagasic cardiomyopathy, musculoskeletal or cognitive limitations that preclude the realization of exercise protocol, clinical contraindication for regular exercise, and regular physical exercise (≥1 × per week). Participants will be assessed at baseline, and after three and 6 months of follow-up. The primary outcome will be QoL. Secondary outcomes will include blood pressure, physical fitness components, nutritional status, fatigability, autonomic modulation, cardiac morphology and function, low back pain, depression and anxiety, stress, sleep quality, medication use and adherence, and biochemical, inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers. Participants in the intervention group will undergo a home-based exercise program whilst those in the control group will receive only general information regarding the benefits of physical activity. Both groups will receive the same general nutritional counseling consisting of general orientations about healthy diets., Conclusion: The findings from the present study may support public health intervention strategies to improve physical and mental health parameters to be implemented more effectively in this population., Clinical Trial Registration: [https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-10yxgcr9/], identifier [U1111-1263-0153]., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Mediano, Ribeiro, Silva, Xavier, Vieira, Gonçalves, Paravidino, Borges, Rodrigues Junior, Costa, Reis, Liporagi-Lopes, Martinez-Amezcua, Silva, Sperandio Da Silva, Sousa, Holanda, Veloso, Carneiro, Mazzoli-Rocha, Costa, Saraiva, Mendes, Sangenis and Hasslocher-Moreno.)