Caracterización clínico-epidemiológica de los pacientes con diagnóstico de tumor cerebral atendidos en el Hospital de Niños “Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde” de enero 2018 a diciembre 2022.

Abstract

Introduction: Brain tumors are the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality from childhood neoplasms, following leukemias. However, their initial symptoms are nonspecific, delaying timely diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric patients diagnosed with brain tumors treated at the “Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde” Children’s Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022. Methodology: A quantitative, observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective study was conducted. A total of 110 pediatric patients were included, selected from a population of 153 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) tumor through neuroimaging or histology. Clinical variables such as sex, age, symptoms, tumor location, imaging and histological studies, and complications were analyzed. Data were processed and analyzed using the Epi Info statistical software version 7.2.6.0. Results: Of the total patients, 61.82% were male, with an average age of 6 years. The predominant symptoms were headache (60%), vomiting (56.36%), and ataxia (30%). The most common tumor location was the posterior fossa (36.36%). The most frequent complication was intracranial hypertension, affecting 50% of the patients. Regarding histology, astrocytomas were the most common tumors (35.45%), followed by ependymomas (14.55%) and medulloblastomas (13.64%). The incidence was calculated at 0.03 cases in the last five years, with a prevalence of 30 brain tumor cases per 1,000 children diagnosed with neoplasms. The mortality rate was 1.8%, with two patients dying during the study period. Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive view of the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of brain tumors in pediatric patients. It highlights the importance of early diagnosis in the presence of nonspecific symptoms, such as persistent headaches and vomiting. Moreover, it emphasizes the relevance of imaging tests and histopathological analysis for accurate diagnosis. The results offer valuable information to optimize the management of these patients in early stages and reduce associated mortality.