Characteristic and outcomes of patients with takotsubo syndrome remain to be defined. The goal of this study is to report the characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients presenting with takotsubo syndrome compared to those presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a community-based population.
This is a retrospective population-based study that included patients hospitalized for takotsubo syndrome between 2006 and 2016. Patients with takotsubo syndrome were compared to those with AMI. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Matching was performed to assemble a cohort of patients with similar baseline characteristics.
Among 26,016 patients hospitalized with an initial diagnosis of AMI, 530 (2.0%) were diagnosed with takotsubo syndrome. Patients with takotsubo syndrome were older (68.3 ± 11.3 vs. 65.6 ± 12.2 years) and more likely to be women (93.4% vs. 30.7%). Concomitant hypothyroidism, rheumatologic disorders, and lung disease were more prevalent in the takotsubo syndrome group, while diabetes and hyperlipidemia were less prevalent. Mortality was lower in the takotsubo syndrome group (one-year mortality 4.0% vs. 8.9%, p<0.001). The 530 patients with takotsubo syndrome were matched to 1,315 AMI patients with similar baseline characteristics. At a follow-up of 5.4 ± 3.3 years, patients with takotsubo syndrome had a lower risk for all-cause death compared to those who presented with AMI (hazard ratio 0.59, 95% CI 0.47-0.76).
Among patients presenting with AMI, patients with takotsubo syndrome were older and more likely to be women. Patients with takotsubo syndrome had better long-term outcomes compared to matched AMI patients.

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