Costochondritis

Author: Lynn K Flowers, MD, MHA, FACEP; Chief Editor: Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP more...

Updated: Aug 25, 2009

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Background
Pathophysiology
Epidemiology
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Background

In contrast to myocardial ischemia or infarction, costochondritis is a benign cause of chest pain and is an important consideration in the differential diagnosis. Although the term costochondritis often is used interchangeably with fibrositis and Tietze syndrome, these are distinct diagnoses.

Pathophysiology

Costochondritis is an inflammatory process of the costochondral or costosternal joints that causes localized pain and tenderness. Any of the 7 costochondral junctions may be affected, and more than 1 site is affected in 90% of cases. The second to fifth costochondral junctions most commonly are involved.

Frequency

United States

The exact prevalence of a musculoskeletal etiology for chest pain is not known, although overall prevalence of a musculoskeletal etiology for chest pain was approximately 10% in one study. In a 1994 ED study, 30% of patients with chest pain had costochondritis.^[1]

Mortality/Morbidity

The condition's course generally is self-limited, but the patient often experiences recurrent or persistent symptoms.

Sex

In Disla's costochondritis study, women comprised 69% of patients with costochondritis versus 31% in the control group.^[1]

Proceed to Clinical Presentation

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Lynn K Flowers, MD, MHA, FACEP Physician Partner, ApolloMD, Atlanta, Georgia

Lynn K Flowers, MD, MHA, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, National Association of EMS Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

William K Chiang, MD Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine; Chief of Service, Department of Emergency Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center

William K Chiang, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American College of Medical Toxicology, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Gino A Farina, MD, FACEP, FAAEM Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Gino A Farina, MD, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP Professor of Emergency Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine, Program Director, Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals, Case Medical Center

Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Thoracic Society, Arkansas Medical Society, New York Academy of Medicine, New York Academy of Sciences, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

Disla E, Rhim HR, Reddy A, Karten I, Taranta A. Costochondritis. A prospective analysis in an emergency department setting. Arch Intern Med. Nov 14 1994;154(21):2466-9. [Medline].
Fam AG, Smythe HA. Musculoskeletal chest wall pain. CMAJ. Sep 1 1985;133(5):379-89. [Medline].
Gotway MB, Marder SR, Hanks DK, Leung JW, Dawn SK, Gean AD, et al. Thoracic complications of illicit drug use: an organ system approach. Radiographics. Oct 2002;22 Spec No:S119-35. [Medline].
Sik EC, Batt ME, Heslop LM. Atypical chest pain in athletes. Curr Sports Med Rep. Mar-Apr 2009;8(2):52-8. [Medline].
Bayer AS, Chow AW, Louie JS, Guze LB. Sternoarticualr pyoarthrosis due to gram-negative bacilli. Report of eight cases. Arch Intern Med. Aug 1977;137(8):1036-40. [Medline].
Fam AG. Approach to musculoskeletal chest wall pain. Prim Care. Dec 1988;15(4):767-82. [Medline].
Ikehira H, Kinjo M, Nagase Y, Aoki T, Ito H. Acute pan-costochondritis demonstrated by gallium scintigraphy. Br J Radiol. Feb 1999;72(854):210-11. [Medline].
Physician's Desk Reference. Motrin. In: Physician's Desk Reference. 50^th ed. Medical Economics Co: Montvale, NJ; 1996:2526-27.
Semble EL, Wise CM. Chest pain: a rheumatologist's perspective. South Med J. Jan 1988;81(1):64-8. [Medline].
Trentham DE, Le CH. Relapsing polychondritis. Ann Intern Med. Jul 15 1998;129(2):114-22. [Medline].
Wadhwa SS, Phan T, Terei O. Anterior chest wall pain in postpartum costochondritis. Clin Nucl Med. Jun 1999;24(6):404-6. [Medline].
Wolf E, Stern S. Costosternal syndrome: its frequency and importance in differential diagnosis of coronary heart disease. Arch Intern Med. Feb 1976;136(2):189-91. [Medline].

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