Bodily sensations and quality of life in adolescents with non-cardiac chest pain: a comparative study for the undetermined part of a frequent health problem.

Background: Chest pain in adolescents represents a considerable burden for health services and is rarely associated with cardiac disease. Since chest pain could be related to psychosocial factors there is a need for exploring the relationships among stressful situations, drug consumption, suicidal behaviors, accompanying bodily symptoms and health-related quality of life in adolescents with non-cardiac chest pain.

Methods: In this study, we assessed these determinants in 108 adolescents with non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) and a control group of 77 patients using a structured interview applied to the patients presented to the cardiology outpatient clinics of Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Türkiye, between 30 October 2018 and 30 June 2019. After the interview, the adolescents were given a self-administered pediatric quality of life inventory and the body sensations questionnaire for assessing aspects of fear.

Results: Adolescents with NCCP expressed more panic associated bodily symptoms and reported worse subjective physical, academic, and emotional functioning in addition to more suicidal ideation.

Conclusions: NCCP could be accepted as a warning sign of an underlying psychosocial problem and requires a more interdisciplinary collaborative care by pediatricians, psychologists, and psychiatrists.