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01-07-2021 | Intracranial Hypertension | Original Article

Factors impacting time to diagnosis in pediatric CNS tumors in Chinese children

Authors: Pengwei Lu, Raynald, Wei Liu, Jian Gong, Tao Sun, Chunde Li, Lukman Ma’ruf, Yanzhu Fan, Ruifang Zhu, Yongji Tian

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 7/2021

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the factors impacting time to diagnosis in pediatric central nervous system tumors.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used in this study. A self-developed questionnaire for health-seeking behavior and influencing factors was used in children with intracranial tumors. The factors related to time to diagnosis and the long-term prognosis of children were analyzed.

Results

A total of 433 families replied to the questionnaire. The median parental interval was 50 days (range 0 ~ 884), the median diagnostic interval was 97 days (range 4 ~ 1646), and the median prediagnostic symptomatic interval (PSI) was 123 days (range 8 ~ 1844). Higher education was associated with a shorter parental interval (mother: P = 0.048; father: P = 0.035). The diagnostic interval was shortened in patients with dizziness (P = 0.022), abnormal eye movement (P = 0.034), or drowsiness (P = 0.021). A shorter PSI was observed in patients who presented with high intracranial pressure such as headache (P = 0.016), dizziness (P = 0.009), or drowsiness (P = 0.023) and those who went to a higher-level health institution or patients who went to neurology or neurosurgery department as the first medical consultation. No statistically significant difference was found in the interval time (parental interval, diagnostic interval, and PSI) regarding patients’ outcomes.

Conclusion

Different time intervals showed different factors influencing the long delay in diagnosing central nervous system tumors, highlighting the need for increased awareness to improve the treatment efficacy.

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Title: Factors impacting time to diagnosis in pediatric CNS tumors in Chinese children
Authors: Pengwei Lu
Raynald
Wei Liu
Jian Gong
Tao Sun
Chunde Li
Lukman Ma’ruf
Yanzhu Fan
Ruifang Zhu
Yongji Tian
Publication date: 01-07-2021
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword: Intracranial Hypertension
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 7/2021
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05863-6

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