PEDIATRICS Vol. 85 No. 3 March 1990, pp. 311-315
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
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 CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Arfken, C. L.
Right arrow Articles by Farrish, G. C. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Arfken, C. L.
Right arrow Articles by Farrish, G. C. M.

Mitral Valve Prolapse: Associations with Symptoms and Anxiety

Cynthia L. Arfken PhD1, Anthony S. Lachman MDFCP (S.A.)1, Margaret J. McLaren MBBCh1, Peter Schulman MD1, Charles N. Leach Jr MD1, and Grover C. M. Farrish MD1

1 From Yale University, New Haven, the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, and New Britain General Hospital, New Britain

Mitral valve prolapse has been studied extensively in the adult population, but less is known about it in children. Therefore, 813 children between 9 and 14 years of age were examined by a team of cardiologists and technicians. The children also responded to a questionnaire concerning the presence of symptoms and the What I Think and Feel anxiety instrument. The prevalence of mitral valve prolapse using auscultatory criteria was 4.2% (6.2% for girls, 2.3% for boys). Of those with mitral valve prolapse, 85% had a solitary click, 9% had a click and systolic murmur, and 6% had multiple clicks. Children with auscultatory mitral valve prolapse were less likely to have symptoms than those free of cardiac abnormalities. No difference in average anxiety scores was detected between the two groups. It is concluded that auscultatory mitral valve prolapse is common in children and not accompanied by an increased likelihood of symptoms or anxiety.

Key Words: mitral valve prolapse • adolescence

Submitted on February 13, 1989
Accepted on April 18, 1989