BONE-AGE IN ADOLESCENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

The bone age (BA), height and weight of 20 adolescents with schizophre nia and 21 matched adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD ) were measured. The BA of the schizophrenic patients was significantl y higher than their chronological age (CA) (p<0.05), while the OCD sub jects' BA was non-significantly lower than their CA. In addition, the difference between CA and BA (Delta ages) in the schizophrenic adolesc ents was significantly different from the Delta ages of the OCD adoles cents (p<0.05). Gender did not significantly affect BA or Delta ages. A positive correlation (r=0.5, p<0.01) was obtained between CA and Del ta ages in the schizophrenic patients but not in the OCD patients. Bot h groups were within the normal range of weight and height percentiles . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.