title: Does atrioventricular reentry tachycardia (AVRT) or atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) in children affect their cognitive and emotional development?
abstract: The current study sought to assess cognitive and emotional functions among children and adolescents with atrioventricular reentry tachycardia (AVRT) and atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT). 113 patients (62 girls and 51 boys ages, 9-18 years) scheduled for radiofrequency ablation due to AVRT or AVNRT underwent neuropsychologic examination. The study excluded patients who had experienced cardiac arrest, congenital heart defects, neurologic disorders, or other diseases affecting cognitive or emotional development. Standardized tests for examining verbal and visual memory as well as visual-spatial functioning were performed. For patients exhibiting deficits in two or more tests, a diagnosis of "cognitive deficits" was determined. Levels of anxiety were tested using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Cognitive deficits were found in 47.8 % of the patients. The age at first arrhythmia attack was related to memory dysfunction. The mean age at which the first symptoms occurred was significantly lower for patients with deficits (8.3 years) than for patients who had no deficit (10.2 years) (t = 2.15; p = 0.03). Boys exhibited a significantly higher level of trait anxiety than girls (t = 3.42; p = 0.0009). A significant negative correlation was found between anxiety and the age at appearance of the first symptoms (r = -0.26; p = 0.005). These findings led us to conclude that cognitive and emotional developments can be negatively affected by AVNRT and AVRT, particularly if tachycardia appears early in life.
authors.affiliation: Children's Memorial Health Institute, Al. Dzieci Polskich 20, 04-730, Warsaw, Poland. a.maryniak@chello.pl
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maryniak
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bielawska
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bieganowska
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miszczak-Knecht
authors.forename: Franciszek
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Walczak
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szumowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*