title: Back pain with cardiovascular collapse in a pediatric emergency department patient.
abstract: Severe back pain in the pediatric patient is an infrequent complaint. The following case report illustrates the disastrous outcome for this patient with back pain secondary to aortic dissection. The most common predisposing disease process is hypertension, which exposes the aortic wall to high pressures and flows. Just as in the adult patient, the possibility of aortic dissection should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute onset of severe back pain with preexisting hypertension in the pediatric patient. A high index of suspicion is warranted.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston 77030.
authors: J R
authors: JR
authors: Griggs
authors: J T
authors: JT
authors: Bricker
authors: M M
authors: MM
authors: Mariscalco
authors: L S
authors: LS
authors: Jefferson
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Langston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology*