Chest pain in children.

In a retrospective study of chest pain, 267 children were identified. This gave an occurrence rate (per patient visit) of 0.249%. Male patients were identified as often as female patients, and teenagers as often as children less than age 12 years. Chest pain was found to be present for more than 1 month in 8.6% and for more than 1 year in 7.8%. Idiopathic chest pain was the most common diagnosis made, followed by functional pain (anxiety related) and musculoskeletal pain. Laboratory tests were not helpful in establishing the etiology of chest pain.