Evaluation of anxiety levels in patients with channelopathies andtheir parents

Long QT syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) are genetic disorders associated with severe cardiac arrhythmias in children and young adults. We anticipate that these patients may have higher levels of anxiety due to the risk of sudden cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death, making anxiety assessment critical for disease management. This study aimed to evaluate the anxiety levels of children diagnosed with channelopathies and their parents, as well as to examine the relationship between anxiety levels and various clinical characteristics. The study included 53 pediatric patients and their parents (47 mothers and 26 fathers). Anxiety levels were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The relationships between anxiety levels, parental education levels, and the children's diagnostic and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation analysis. The median age of the patients (56.6% female) was 11 years (range: 1–17), and the median age at diagnosis was 60 months (range: 0.1–192). Of the patients, 45 (84.9%) were diagnosed with Long QT syndrome, and 8 (15.1%) with CPVT. The mean State and Trait Anxiety scores were found to be 33.3±5.6 and 40.2±8.3 in children, respectively. For mothers, these scores were 38.7±7.8 and 46.6±10.6, while for fathers, they were 33±4.7 and 37.3± 7. Higher educational levels in mothers were associated with lower Trait Anxiety scores (p<0.001), whereas no significant difference was found in fathers. A negative correlation was identified between the children's age at diagnosis and their State Anxiety scores (r= -0.484, p=0.007). Children diagnosed with CPVT had significantly higher State and Trait Anxiety scores compared to those with Long QT syndrome (p=0.009 and p=0.002, respectively). Additionally, a history of invasive procedures was associated with higher State and Trait Anxiety scores in children (p=0.028 and p=0.003, respectively). Mothers with a family history of sudden death had significantly higher Trait Anxiety scores (p<0.001). Fathers of children with CPVT had significantly higher Trait Anxiety scores compared to fathers of children with Long QT syndrome (p=0.039). In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the age at diagnosis and clinical characteristics of children diagnosed with Long QT syndrome and CPVT have an impact on the anxiety levels of both the children and their parents. These findings highlight the importance of considering the psychosocial impact of pediatric cardiac conditions on children and their parents when addressing the management of such diseases.