Chest pain and chest wall deformity
Janaki Gokhale1, Steven M Selbst
1Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Insights
Most childhood chest pain is not serious, but careful evaluation is needed. Reassurance and follow-up are often sufficient for well children without concerning symptoms, but more research is required.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Cardiology
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Chest pain and chest wall deformities are frequent concerns in pediatric patients.
- While often benign, serious underlying causes of chest pain necessitate careful clinical assessment.
- Limited prospective research exists for evaluating pediatric chest pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evaluation and management of chest pain in children.
- To highlight the challenges in establishing clear diagnostic guidelines due to the rarity of serious etiologies.
- To emphasize the importance of clinical judgment in differentiating benign from serious cases.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on pediatric chest pain.
- Clinical assessment of children presenting with chest pain and chest wall deformities.
- Discussion of diagnostic approaches and management strategies.
Main Results:
- The majority of pediatric chest pain cases have benign diagnoses.
- Serious causes of chest pain in children are uncommon, complicating guideline development.
- Children who appear well, have normal examinations, and lack a concerning history may not require extensive diagnostic workups.
Conclusions:
- Careful evaluation and follow-up are crucial for children with chest pain.
- Reassurance and conservative management are appropriate for low-risk pediatric patients.
- Multicenter studies are essential to better define the evaluation and management of pediatric chest pain.
Abstract:
Chest pain and chest wall deformities are common in children. Although most children with chest pain have a benign diagnosis, some have a serious etiology for pain, so the complaint must be addressed carefully. Unfortunately, there are few prospective studies to evaluate this complaint in children. Serious causes for chest pain are rare, making it difficult to develop clear guidelines for evaluation and management. The child who appears well, has a normal physical examination, and lacks worrisome history deserves reassurance and careful follow-up rather than extensive studies. Multicenter studies are needed to better define this important symptom.
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