Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chest pain is a common complaint among children referred to treatment centers. This study aimed to investigate the electrocardiographic changes in children aged 5-15 years with chest pain referred to Hajar and Imam Ali Hospitals of Shahrekord. METHODS: In this descriptive-analytic study, 350 children with chest pain who were referred to Hajar and Imam Ali Hospitals were included. After clinical examination, electrocardiography was performed. Echocardiography was conducted in cases with electrocardiographic changes, and CPK-MB and troponin I tests were performed if required. Data were analyzed using SPSS-22 software. RESULTS: The children's ages ranged from 5 to 15 years, with a mean of 10.6 ± 2.7 years. Abnormal electrocardiographic findings were observed in 28 (8%) of the 350 children. Findings included left axis deviation (2.6%), ST elevation (2.9%), ST depression (0.3%), shortened PR interval (0.9%), delta wave changes (0.06%), and cardiac hypertrophy (0.9%). Echocardiography was performed in 70 cases (23.33%), of which 28 (40%) were normal and 42 (60%) had abnormal findings. Mild changes were observed in 39 cases (55.7%), moderate changes in 2 cases (2.9%), and elevated pulmonary arterial pressure in 1 case (1.4%). Thirty girls (8.5%) and 12 boys (3.4%) experienced tachycardia, while 1 boy (0.2%) presented with bradycardia. Troponin I tests were conducted on 2 boys, with both results being negative. CONCLUSION: Given the importance of heart disease, electrocardiography is recommended for all children presenting with chest pain. Electrocardiography may also serve as a valuable tool for screening heart disease in such cases.