GROWTH AS A PARAMETER OF INFLAMMATION IN CROHNS-DISEASE, USING ROENTGEN STEREOPHOTOGRAMMETRIC ANALYSIS

Growth rate was measured in 12 children with Crohn's disease and growt h retardation, using roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis. The meth od was chosen as it provides an opportunity to record growth rate accu rately during short periods of time. Growth was followed at variable i ntervals of 4-12 weeks depending on the clinical situation. Growth rat e was shown to correlate with symptoms, laboratory tests and nitrogen balance. These findings indicate that growth, when it is affected, flu ctuates in a similar way as albumin, acute phase proteins and symptoms , all assumed to reflect the disease activity. Short-term growth measu rements appear to be helpful in monitoring the disease progress or res ponse to therapy in children with Crohn's disease, particularly when g rowth retardation is the only manifestation of the disease.