• Fernando Luiz Westphal, Luiz Carlos de Lima, José Corrêia Lima Neto, Altair Rodrigues Chaves, Vítor Lazarini dos Santos Júnior, and Brena Luize Cunha Ferreira.
• Universidade Estadual do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brasil. f.l.westphal@uol.com.br
• J Bras Pneumol. 2009 Mar 1; 35 (3): 221-6.

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of congenital anterior chest wall deformities in 11- to 14-year-old students.MethodsStudents participating in the study were recruited from public schools in the city of Manaus, Brazil. The statistically significant sample (precision, 1%; 95% CI) comprised 1,332 students. Pectus deformities were identified by physical examination of the chest, and the individuals with one of these deformities completed a questionnaire regarding heredity and symptoms resulting from the chest abnormality.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 11.7 years. The prevalence of pectus abnormalities was 1.95% (pectus excavatum: 1.275%; pectus carinatum: 0.675%). Of the 26 students with a pectus deformity, 17 (65.4%) had pectus excavatum, and 18 (69.2%) were male. Concomitant scoliosis was observed in 3 cases (11.5%). A family history of pectus was reported by 17 students (65.4%), and 17 (65.4%) reported chest pain, dyspnea or palpitations.ConclusionsIn this study, the prevalence of pectus deformities (1.95%) was lower than that reported in other studies conducted in Brazil (3.6-4.9%) but was higher than that reported in the literature (mean, 1%).

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