[Findings on total hydroxyproline excretion in patients with scoliosis].

Variations in the metabolism of collagen of patients with idiopathic scoliosis were studied by measuring the quantity of total hydroxyproline excreted in the urine in 24 hours. Results were correlated with the degree of deviation and the degree of rapid vertebral growth. From the results a hypothesis can be formulated that scoliosis is caused by altered metabolism of connective tissue with increased destruction of collagen demonstrated by the increased excretion of urinary hydroxyproline.