THE DETERMINATION OF THE SKELETAL AGE BY THE OXFORD-SCORE IN CHILDRENWITH SLIPPED FEMORAL EPIPHYSES

Pelvis radiographs of 47 children with slipped capital femoral epiphys es (SCFE) and 24 without a hip disorder were reviewed in a retrospecti ve study by four readers to determine the skeletal age by the Oxford m ethod. 72% of the children suffering from SCFE had a body weight above the standard level but a normal body height at the time of diagnosis. The mean chronologic age was 3 years higher than the skeletal age det ermined by the Oxford-score. The linear regression analyses showed tha t children with SCFE have had a skeletal maturation delay in compariso n with the normal group at the beginning of the age period in question . This deficiency became greater as chronologic age increased. All chi ldren with the SCFE disease showed a nearly uniform skeletal age clear ly below the bone age standard irrespective of their chronologic age. These results, in connection with obesity in most cases, support the i dea of hormonal disorders with delayed skeletal maturation development in the aetiology of SCFE disease.