Splenic growth rates in cirrhotic and other splenomegalic diseases of childhood.

The weights of the spleens of series of patients with various disorders of children dating from birth or early infancy and causing splenomegaly, with or without cirrhosis of the liver, were analyzed. The linear regression equation for spleen weight versus age in months for each disease was derived, and the rate constants from these equations were adjusted for the age range of the patients in each group. The original data of Coppoletta and Wolbach were used for normal values. The rates of splenic growth of appropriate entities for which the regression equation could be computed fell into three groups, with adjusted rate constants (growth of spleen in grams per month) of 6.53-6.95 (biliary atresia, thalassemia, and cirrhosis following neonatal hepatitis), 2.30-2.62 (cirrhosis of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, infantile polycystic disease, and spherocytosis), and 1.06-1.11 (cystic fibrosis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura). These classes of splenic growth rates are approximately 10, 3.7, and 1.6 times the normal growth rate (0.67 g/mo). Rate constants could not be computed for the categories cirrhosis following viral hepatitis and hemolytic anemia other than spherocytosis and sickle cell anemia, and the numbers of patients with splenic vein obstruction, cirrhosis with the cholestatic syndrome of parenteral alimentation, hypoplastic anemia with hemosiderosis, tyrosinemia, Byler's disease, congenital hepatic fibrosis, and Wilson's disease were too few for analysis. The significance of the finding of classes or "quantum groups" of splenic growth rates in disorders of children, dating from birth or early infancy and causing splenomegaly, is uncertain. Comparable data on adequate series of patients with other appropriate disorders will be necessary.