PEDIATRICS Vol. 71 No. 6 June 1983, pp. 881-887
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Pantell, R. H.
Right arrow Articles by Goodman, B. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Pantell, R. H.
Right arrow Articles by Goodman, B. W., Jr

Adolescent Chest Pain: A Prospective Study

Robert H. Pantell MD1 and Benjamin W. Goodman Jr MD1

1 From the Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, and Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston

One hundred adolescents with chest pain were prospectively analyzed to determine the etiology, functional consequences, and illness attributions of patients seen in a general pediatric clinic. The typical patient had frequent pain (63% had two or more episodes weekly) of moderate duration (51% of the pain lasted longer than six minutes) that had been occurring for many months (36% had pain occurring longer than 6 months). Stressful events, such as a death in the family, major illness, an accident, family separations, and school changes occurred in 31% of patients. The most frequently diagnosed condition was musculoskeletal problems (31%) including costochondritis (14%), chest wall syndrome (13%), skeletal trauma (2%), and ribcage anomalies (2%). Hyperventilation accounted for 20% of diagnoses and 5% had breast-related problems. Thirty-nine percent of patients had pain not readily classifiable. Serious underlying illness was a rare cause of chest pain, although several patients had associated organic disease not responsible for their chest pain. More than two thirds of patients restricted physical activities; more than 40% were absent from school. When patients were questioned about their understanding of their illness, 44% were afraid that they were experiencing a heart attack, 12% worried about heart disease, and 12% feared cancer. Chest pain is a prevalent problem that is usually benign but is commonly misunderstood and causes considerable dysfunction and anxiety in adolescents.

Key Words: adolescent • chest pain

Submitted on April 1, 1982
Accepted on August 26, 1982




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
M. M. Massin, A. Bourguignont, C. Coremans, L. Comte, P. Lepage, and P. Gerard
Chest Pain in Pediatric Patients Presenting to an Emergency Department or to a Cardiac Clinic
Clinical Pediatrics, April 1, 2004; 43(3): 231 - 238.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
R. T. Brown and K. Jamil
Costochondritis in Adolescents: A Follow-Up Study
Clinical Pediatrics, August 1, 1993; 32(8): 499 - 500.
[PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
S. M. Selbst, R. Ruddy, and B.J. Clark
Chest Pain in Children: Follow-up of Patients Previously Reported
Clinical Pediatrics, July 1, 1990; 29(7): 374 - 377.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
D. B. Nudel, S. Diamant, T. Brady, M. Jarenwattananon, B. J. Buckley, and N. Gootman
Chest Pain, Dyspnea on Exertion, and Exercise Induced Asthma in Children and Adolescents
Clinical Pediatrics, August 1, 1987; 26(8): 388 - 392.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
T. W. Rowland and M. M. Richards
The Natural History of Idiopathic Chest Pain in Children: A Follow-up Study
Clinical Pediatrics, December 1, 1986; 25(12): 612 - 614.
[Abstract] [PDF]