Are laboratory tests necessary in making the diagnosis of limb pains typical for growing pains in children?

BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to determine if performing laboratory tests are necessary to exclude other possible diagnoses in a child with limb pains typical for growing pains according to history and physical examination.

METHODS: A matched case-control study was carried out on children with limb pains who attended the Motahary clinic, Shiraz, Iran, in a 2 year period. The inclusion criteria were limb pains, which were recurrent and lasted for more than 3 months. The exclusion criteria were any abnormal systemic symptoms and signs, localizing signs, joint involvement; and limp or limitation of activity. The controls were clinically normal children matched for age and sex. Laboratory tests including complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and rheumatoid factor were done for all patients and controls.

RESULTS: In total, 100 patients and 150 controls were included in the study. There were no significant differences between the patients and controls with regard to all of the measured laboratory tests.

CONCLUSION: Growing pain is a clinical diagnosis and if precise inclusion and exclusion criteria in history and physical examination are considered, there will be no need for laboratory tests in order to make a diagnosis.