Viswanathan V, Khubchandani R P
Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic, Jaslok Hospital & Research Center, Gopalrao Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai 400-026, India.
Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2008 Sep-Oct;26(5):962-6.
To study the association between growing pains (GP) and joint hypermobility (HM ), children aged 3-9 were examined for the coexistence of HM and GP.
The study group consisted of 433 children (219 boys, 214 girls; age range 3-9 years) from one public school in Mumbai, India. In the assessment of HM, the Beighton criteria were used. Any child who met > or = 5/9 criteria was considered to have HM. Children were considered to have GP if they fulfilled the Petersons criteria, namely the pains were bilateral, intermittent non-articular pains involving the lower limbs; typically occurring during late afternoons or evenings with a normal physical examination and normal laboratory parameters whenever performed. The assessment of HM and GP were carried out independently. Children with bilateral knee hypermobility were also evaluated for the occurrence of GP.
Of the 433 children, 177 (40.8%) were found to have HM and 122 (28.1%) GP; 75 (61.4%) of the 122 with GP had HM and 75 (42.3%) of the 177 with HM had GP. Using chi square statistical analysis, joint hypermobility and GP were found to be highly associated. Knee hypermobility also showed significant statistical association with GP.
This study suggests that there is a strong association between joint hypermobility and GP in schoolchildren. It is possible that joint hypermobility may play a part in the pathogenesis of GP. More studies are needed to establish the clinical significance of this association.
为研究生长痛（GP）与关节活动过度（HM）之间的关联，对3至9岁的儿童进行了HM和GP共存情况的检查。
研究组由来自印度孟买一所公立学校的433名儿童（219名男孩，214名女孩；年龄范围3至9岁）组成。在评估HM时，采用了贝顿标准。任何符合≥5/9项标准的儿童被视为患有HM。如果儿童符合彼得森标准，即疼痛为双侧、间歇性非关节性疼痛，累及下肢；通常发生在傍晚或晚上，体格检查正常，实验室检查参数（如有检查）也正常，则被认为患有GP。HM和GP的评估是独立进行的。对双侧膝关节活动过度的儿童也评估了GP的发生情况。
在433名儿童中，发现177名（40.8%）患有HM，122名（28.1%）患有GP；122名患有GP的儿童中有75名（61.4%）患有HM，177名患有HM的儿童中有75名（42.3%）患有GP。使用卡方统计分析发现，关节活动过度与GP高度相关。膝关节活动过度与GP也显示出显著的统计学关联。
本研究表明，学童的关节活动过度与GP之间存在强烈关联。关节活动过度可能在GP的发病机制中起作用。需要更多研究来确定这种关联的临床意义。
