Brain Tumor Signs and Symptoms: Analysis of Primary Health Care Records From the UKCCS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Brain Tumor Signs and Symptoms

T2 - Analysis of Primary Health Care Records From the UKCCS

AU - Ansell, Pat

AU - Johnston, Tom

AU - Simpson, Jill

AU - Crouch, Simon

AU - Roman, Eve

AU - Picton, Susan

PY - 2010/1

Y1 - 2010/1

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency of brain tumor signs and symptoms in children with and without brain tumors. METHODS: This was a UK population-based retrospective analysis of primary care records. Participants were 195 children (1-14 years) newly diagnosed with brain tumors and 285 controls matched by age, gender, and region. Comparisons included total number of prediagnosis consultations, number with >= 1 symptom suggestive of a brain tumor, total number of symptoms, number of different symptoms, and number of visits with specific combinations of symptoms. RESULTS: On average, cases consulted more often than controls between birth and diagnosis/pseudodiagnosis with brain tumor signs and symptoms. Their consultation rate with >= 1 suggestive symptom escalated in the 2 years before diagnosis. Symptom prevalence was higher among cases than controls, a relative difference of 3.29 times as many consultations with >= 1 suggestive symptom (95% confidence interval [Cl]: 2.82-3.83) and 7.01 as many with more than 1 (95% Cl: 5.38-9.13). In each 6-month period in the 4 years before diagnosis, cases had at least twice as many consultations with >= 1 suggestive symptom (20.81 times as many in the 6 months before diagnosis [95% Cl: 14.29-30.30]) and 2-3 times more records of suggestive symptoms (28.35 times more in the 6 months before diagnosis [95% Cl: 19.05-42.19]). Symptoms rarely or not observed among control children included head tilt, odd head movements, odd posture, back or neck stiffness, and unsteadiness without obvious cause. CONCLUSION Key to identifying the 1 child among many who merits prompt investigation is recognition of unusual symptoms, or specific symptom patterns. Pediatrics 2010;125:112-119

AB - OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency of brain tumor signs and symptoms in children with and without brain tumors. METHODS: This was a UK population-based retrospective analysis of primary care records. Participants were 195 children (1-14 years) newly diagnosed with brain tumors and 285 controls matched by age, gender, and region. Comparisons included total number of prediagnosis consultations, number with >= 1 symptom suggestive of a brain tumor, total number of symptoms, number of different symptoms, and number of visits with specific combinations of symptoms. RESULTS: On average, cases consulted more often than controls between birth and diagnosis/pseudodiagnosis with brain tumor signs and symptoms. Their consultation rate with >= 1 suggestive symptom escalated in the 2 years before diagnosis. Symptom prevalence was higher among cases than controls, a relative difference of 3.29 times as many consultations with >= 1 suggestive symptom (95% confidence interval [Cl]: 2.82-3.83) and 7.01 as many with more than 1 (95% Cl: 5.38-9.13). In each 6-month period in the 4 years before diagnosis, cases had at least twice as many consultations with >= 1 suggestive symptom (20.81 times as many in the 6 months before diagnosis [95% Cl: 14.29-30.30]) and 2-3 times more records of suggestive symptoms (28.35 times more in the 6 months before diagnosis [95% Cl: 19.05-42.19]). Symptoms rarely or not observed among control children included head tilt, odd head movements, odd posture, back or neck stiffness, and unsteadiness without obvious cause. CONCLUSION Key to identifying the 1 child among many who merits prompt investigation is recognition of unusual symptoms, or specific symptom patterns. Pediatrics 2010;125:112-119

KW - brain tumors

KW - signs and symptoms

KW - primary health care

KW - medical charts

KW - KINGDOM CHILDHOOD-CANCER

KW - FEATURES

KW - DISEASES

KW - CHILDREN

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=74049141444&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1542/peds.2009-0254

DO - 10.1542/peds.2009-0254

M3 - Article

SN - 1471-2431

VL - 125

SP - 112

EP - 119

JO - BMC Pediatrics

JF - BMC Pediatrics

IS - 1

ER -