title: Screening for, and management of, possible arrhythmogenic syndromes (channelopathies/ion channel diseases).
abstract: This survey assesses the current management strategies for individuals with electrocardiographic features, suggesting an arrhythmogenic syndrome [including long QT syndrome (LQTS), Brugada syndrome (BS), catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) or short QT syndrome] or family members of patients with a known arrhythmogenic syndrome, in 44 large European centres. The principal findings of this survey were: (i) the number of new patients with arrhythmogenic syndromes (symptomatic and asymptomatic) is relatively small; (ii) the clinical work-up of these patients consists mainly of non-invasive tests; (iii) a relatively high use of genetic testing is noted, especially in LQTS and CPVT; (iv) EP testing is commonly performed in asymptomatic BS patients and in family members of symptomatic BS patients; and (v) the majority of European electrophysiologists focus on first-degree relatives when dealing with family members of an index patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and The Danish National Research Foundation Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmia, Denmark. hastrup@rh.dk
authors.forename: Jesper Hastrup
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Svendsen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Geelen
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D053447:Channelopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003625:Data Collection; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000639:trends*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology