When to Offer Predictive Genetic Testing to Children at Risk of an Inherited Arrhythmia or Cardiomyopathy

Development and evaluation of decision aids to guide families' predictive testing choices for children at risk for arrhythmia or cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Assessing the issues surrounding predictive genetic testing for children at risk of an inherited arrythmia or cardiomyopathy is complex. The objective of this study was to design and evaluate four cardiac decision aids. The decision aids were developed to assist families with a genetic diagnosis of long QT syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in deciding between predictive genetic testing and cardiac screening for their children.

METHOD/RESULTS

The decision aids were developed using the International Patient Decision Aid Standards framework and revised based on feedback from individuals with lived experience, genetic counsellors and other healthcare professionals. Response to the decision aids was positive and acceptability and understandability scores were high.

CONCLUSION

The decision aids can be used before, during or following a genetic counselling appointment as a resource or to guide discussion. These tools permit a balanced and consistent approach to the decision-making process, with a focus on the importance families place on the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

The Multifaced Perspectives of Genetic Testing in Pediatric Cardiomyopathies and Channelopathies

Pediatric inherited cardiomyopathies (CMPs) and channelopathies (CNPs) remain important causes of death in this population, therefore, there is a need for prompt diagnosis and tailored treatment. Conventional evaluation fails to establish the diagnosis of pediatric CMPs and CNPs in a significant proportion, prompting further, more complex testing to make a diagnosis that could influence the implementation of lifesaving strategies. Genetic testing in CMPs and CNPs may help unveil the underlying cause, but needs to be carried out with caution given the lack of uniform recommendations in guidelines about the precise time to start the genetic evaluation or the type of targeted testing or whole-genome sequencing. A very diverse etiology and the scarce number of randomized studies of pediatric CMPs and CNPs make genetic testing of these maladies far more particular than their adult counterpart. The genetic diagnosis is even more puzzling if the psychological impact point of view is taken into account. This review aims to put together different perspectives, state-of-the art recommendations-synthetizing the major indications from European and American guidelines-and psychosocial outlooks to construct a comprehensive genetic assessment of pediatric CMPs and CNPs.