Depression in Children and Adolescents with Cardiovascular Symptomatology: The Significance of Chest Pain

doi:10.1016/S0002-7138(09)60918-3

Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry

Volume 21, Issue 2, March 1982, Pages 187-189

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-7138(09)60918-3 Get rights and content

The study reports on 100 children and adolescents evaluated in a pediatric cardiology department. The results state that 13% of the population met the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder based on DSM III. There were four patients who were referred because of chest pain. All of them were found to be free from cardiovascular disorders, but all were found to be in the depressed group. The authors emphasize the importance of chest pain in differential diagnosis of childhood depression.

Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 21, 2:187–189, 1982.

REFERENCES (25)

G.A. Carlson et al.
A survey of depressive symptoms in a child and adolescent psychiatric population
This Journal
(1979)
J. Kashani et al.
Depression in hospitalized pediatric patients
This Journal
(1981)
J. Puig-Antich et al.
Prepubertal major depressive disorder—a pilot study
This Journal
(1978)
J. Puig-Antich et al.
Plasma levels of imipramine (IMI) and desmethylimipramine (DMI) and clinical response in prepubertal major depressive disorder: a preliminary report
This Journal
(1979)
W.A. Weinberg et al.
Depression in children referred to an educational diagnostic center: diagnosis and treatment
J Pediat.
(1973)
Annell, A. L. (1972), Depressive States in Childhood and Adolescence. Proc 4th UEP Congress, Stockholm, Almquist &...
H.E. Armstrong et al.
Correlations between Beck depression scores and physical complaints
Psychol. Reports
(1980)
D.P. Cantwell et al.
Problems and prospects in the study of childhood depression
J Nerv. Ment. Dis.
(1979)
H.M. Connell
Depression in childhood
Child Psychiat. Hum. Developm.
(1972)
L. Cytryn et al.
Proposed classification of childhood depression
Amer. J Psychiat.
(1972)

L. Cytryn et al.

Factors influencing the changing clinical expression of the depressive process in children

Amer. J Psychiat.

(1974)

D.J. Driscoll et al.

Chest pain in children: A prospective study

Pediatrics

(1976)

Cited by (34)

Anxiety, Depression, and Somatic Distress: Developing a Transdiagnostic Internalizing Toolbox for Pediatric Practice
2012, Cognitive and Behavioral Practice
Citation Excerpt :
For example, of youths presenting in primary care with recurrent abdominal pain, approximately 80% meet for an anxiety disorder and over 40% meet for depression (Campo, Bridge, et al., 2004). In youth with noncardiac chest pain, rates of comorbidity with anxiety disorders are between 55% and 75% (Lipsitz et al., 2004; Tunaoglu et al., 1995), with lower but significant rates of co-occurrence with depression (13%; Kashani, Lababidi, & Jones, 1982). Within the somatic literature, it appears that abdominal and noncardiac chest pain have stronger associations with anxiety (Campo & Fritz, 2007; Lipsitz et al.), while fatigue, headaches, and other physical pain (e.g., backache) are more strongly associated with depression (Vaccarino et al., 2008).
Anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints are a common set of comorbid problems in children and adolescents. This “internalizing cluster” is highly prevalent, impairing during youth and into adulthood, and has substantial impacts on health-care systems. Fortunately, these problem areas may share several etiological factors and, thus, respond to similar interventions. In this paper, we present (a) the rationale for focusing on this cluster, (b) clinical theory on transdiagnostic processes uniting these problems, (c) description of core treatment techniques for this group, with a description of clinical outcomes for two sample cases, and (d) implications of this approach for new transdiagnostic treatment development and everyday clinical practice.
Epidemiology and risk factors of pediatric chest pain: A systematic review
2010, Pediatric Clinics of North America
Citation Excerpt :
The author only gives a brief overview of what currently exists in the literature. Currently, all published reports on pediatric chest pain are case reports or case series.14–29 As yet, no studies have been published reporting on the risk factors in relation to chest pain frequency and severity within a pediatric population experiencing chest pain.
Assessment and treatment of psychological factors in pediatric chest pain
2010, Pediatric Clinics of North America
Citation Excerpt :
This suggests that depression may be less relevant to pediatric chest pain than other types of psychopathology. Accordingly, on standardized self-report measures, 11% of pediatric patients with NCCP indicate increased levels of depressive symptoms, comparable with the prevalence of depressive symptoms reported by patients with benign heart murmurs.90,95 However, it may be that there exists a subgroup of pediatric patients with chest pain for whom depression is a notable factor and who would benefit from further study of depressive symptoms within this population.
Mood Disorders in Children and Adolescents
2009, Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Childhood mood disorders such as major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder have been found to be highly prevalent among children and adolescents. The emotional and behavioral dysfunction associated with these mood disorders can cause impairments across areas of functioning, including academic and social arenas. This article reviews the course, possible causes, assessment, and treatment of this group of disorders in youth and concludes by examining the implications for nurses and other health care providers of youth with mood disorders.
Innocent Murmurs, Syncope, and Chest Pain
2006, Nadas' Pediatric Cardiology
Chest pain in children: Diagnosis through history and physical examination
2000, Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Chest pain is a common complaint in the pediatric age group and can be a physically and emotionally distressing symptom. Although chest pain in children rarely indicates serious cardiac problems, chest pain is perceived as “heart pain” to most children and their families and presents a diagnostic challenge to health care providers. Methods: A prospective study was conducted to identify specific factors in history taking and physical examination that permit accurate diagnosis of the cause of pediatric chest pain. Fifty children (ages 5–21 years; mean, 13 years), referred to the cardiology clinic with the chief complaint of chest pain, underwent systematic history taking, physical examination, and electrocardiogram testing. Results: The following diagnoses were made: 38 children (76%) had musculoskeletal/costochondral chest pain, 6 children (12%) had exercise-induced asthma, 4 children (8%) had chest pain resulting from gastrointestinal causes, and 2 children (4%) had chest pain resulting from psychogenic causes. Discussion: All the children in this study had noncardiac causes of their chest pain. This finding supports previous research suggesting that chest pain in children is rarely of cardiac origin. This article reviews the causes of pediatric chest pain and suggests an approach to its evaluation and management. J Pediatr Health Care. (2000). 14, 3–8.

View all citing articles on Scopus

View full text

Scientific PapersDepression in Children and Adolescents with Cardiovascular Symptomatology: The Significance of Chest Pain

This Journal

This Journal

This Journal

This Journal

J Pediat.

Correlations between Beck depression scores and physical complaints

Psychol. Reports

Problems and prospects in the study of childhood depression

J Nerv. Ment. Dis.

Depression in childhood

Child Psychiat. Hum. Developm.

Proposed classification of childhood depression

Amer. J Psychiat.

Factors influencing the changing clinical expression of the depressive process in children

Amer. J Psychiat.

Chest pain in children: A prospective study

Pediatrics

Scientific Papers
Depression in Children and Adolescents with Cardiovascular Symptomatology: The Significance of Chest Pain