Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis: report of a case.

We report on a Chinese boy with chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO). The eight-year-old boy presented with intermittent exacerbation and spontaneous remission of bone pain at two bone sites, associated with local erythema, swelling and tenderness. The white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, calcium and phosphate were normal or mildly elevated. The roentgenogram and scintigram were consistent with osteomyelitis. The pathologic feature of the bone biopsy specimens was compatible with osteomyelitis. However, no organisms were consistently isolated from culture, and the disease was unaffected by antimicrobial therapy. CRMO is an uncommon childhood disease of still unknown etiology. It is the purpose of this paper to present our experience with the first case in a Chinese person and to review the literature with a discussion of what is currently known about CRMO.