Clinical characteristics and outcomes of Takotsubo syndrome in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute heart failure syndrome characterized by a relevant comorbid background, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, TTS patients with COPD are still not well characterized. Aim: to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with TTS and COPD. Methods: n = 440 TTS patients were dichotomized according to the presence of COPD. Endpoint of the study were in-hospital complications (composite of death, major arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock and acute pulmonary edema), TTS recurrence and long-term mortality at follow-up. Results: mean age of the population was 72 +/- 11, 10 % males. COPD prevalence was 16 % (n = 69). On subgroup analysis, patients with COPD were more likely smokers (41 % vs 13 %, p < 0.001), with higher rates of dyspnea and physical triggers at presentation (52 % vs 18 %, p < 0.001 and 52 % vs 32 %, p = 0.001 respectively) and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (36 % vs 39 %, p = 0.035) In-hospital complications were more common in patients with COPD (26 % vs 13 %, p = 0.006), driven by higher rates of acute pulmonary edema (19 % vs 6 %, p < 0.001) and cardiogenic shock (10 % vs 4 %, p = 0.023). At multivariable logistic regression analysis, COPD was independently associated with in-hospital complications occurrence (Odds Ratio 2.10, 95 % CI 1.09-4.05; p = 0.027). At univariable Cox regression analysis COPD was associated with TTS recurrence (Hazard Ratio (HR 9.82, 95 % CI 3.2-30.12; p < 0.001)), at multivariable Cox regression analysis with long-term mortality (HR 2.97, 95 % CI 1.44-6.12; p = 0.003). Conclusion: COPD marks a vulnerable TTS phenotype including higher risk of in-hospital complications, long-term recurrence and mortality.