Takotsubo Syndrome and Air Pollution: the Tako-Air Study

What this Trial Is About

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a sudden and reversible heart injury often triggered by intense emotional or physical stress. It mimics a heart attack with symptoms like chest pain, breathing difficulty, and changes on heart tests but occurs without blocked arteries. While once seen as harmless, TTS can cause serious complications and even death during the acute phase. The study explores how air pollution may increase the risk and worsen outcomes of TTS, which is not yet well understood. This observational study will analyze exposure to various air pollutants such as PM10, PM2.5, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, benzene, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide in patients diagnosed with TTS. Researchers will use data from air quality monitors linked to patients' home addresses to assess short-term (daily and weekly) and long-term (annual) pollutant exposure before TTS onset. The study includes patients diagnosed since 2016, with follow-up visits or phone interviews scheduled up to 5 years after hospital discharge to track heart events and TTS recurrence. Participants will provide informed consent and their medical records will supply diagnostic and residential data. Air pollution exposure will be carefully measured and compared for time periods before TTS events using a case-crossover design, where each patient acts as their own control. Outcomes include the relationship between pollutant levels and TTS onset, in-hospital complications, and long-term major cardiovascular events. Data analysis will consider weather and other factors, with clinical follow-up assessments conducted at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after discharge to monitor health status.

Takotsubo Syndrome and Air Pollution