title: Predictors of heart-focused anxiety in patients undergoing genetic investigation and counseling of long QT syndrome or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a one year follow-up.
abstract: Since Long QT syndrome and Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are inherited cardiac disorders that may cause syncope, palpitations, serious arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death, at-risk individuals may experience heart-focused anxiety. In a prospective multi-site study, 126 Norwegian patients attending genetic counseling were followed 1 year with multiple administration of questionnaires, including the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, measuring three distinct symptoms of heart-focused anxiety- avoidance, attention, and fear-in mixed linear analyses. Overall, at 1-year follow-up, patients with clinical diagnosis as compared to patients at genetic risk had significantly higher scores of avoidance (p < .002), attention (p < .005), and fear (p < .007). Sudden cardiac death in close relatives, uncertainty whether other relatives previously had undergone genetic testing, patients' perceived general health, self-efficacy expectations and procedural satisfaction with genetic counseling were influential in predicting the different symptoms of heart-focused anxiety over time.
authors.affiliation: Genetic Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. anniken.hamang@isf.uib.no
authors.forename: Anniken
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamang
authors.forename: Geir Egil
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Eide
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rokne
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bjorvatn
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Øyen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000523:psychology*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires