title: Broken heart syndrome -- is it a psychosomatic disorder?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The development of somatoform illnesses is often associated with prior psychiatric illness and life stress. Broken heart syndrome has been associated with a range of stressors and we aimed to investigate if psychiatric illnesses are risk factors for developing broken heart syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically assessed for antecedent psychiatric risk factors in two groups of cases (people who developed sporadic and earthquake-related broken heart syndrome) and compared them to a control group of healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that of the ten psychiatric risk factors examined, only 'neuroticism' significantly differed between participants with broken heart syndrome and healthy volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no association between previous psychiatric illness and development of broken heart syndrome in this study. Clinical assessment of psychiatric risk factors may not identify patients at increased risk of broken heart syndrome.
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. Electronic address: cameron.lacey@otago.ac.nz.
authors: Cameron
authors: C
authors: Lacey
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Mulder
authors: Department of Cardiology, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Bridgman
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Bridget
authors: B
authors: Kimber
authors: Psychiatric Consultation Service, Christchurch Hospital, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Zarifeh
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Kennedy
authors: Christchurch Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Vicky
authors: V
authors: Cameron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D000075384:Neuroticism; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Broken heart syndrome; Psychiatric risk factors; Stress cardiomyopathy