Paediatric Northern Score centile charts for the chest radiograph in cystic fibrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To create the first national centile charts for the chest radiograph Northern Score using the UK Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Database (UKCFD).


METHODS
All active patients for 2002 from the UKCFD were analysed in 1-year cohorts from 0 to 18 years. Northern Score results from the annual review forms were used to construct centile lines for the 5th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 95th centiles.


RESULTS
There were 1806 patients with recorded Northern Score data for 2002 (927 male patients, male:female ratio 1.05). The centile chart demonstrates a quasi-linear rise throughout childhood. A Northern Score in excess of age in years equates to >95th centile in school-aged CF patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This centile chart provides a disease-specific reference range for monitoring individual patients or for evaluating therapeutic change using the dominant chest radiograph scoring system in the UK. Patients, parents and clinicians may find these useful during the annual review process.
McCormick
J
J
Respiratory Unit, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill NHS Trust, Glasgow, UK. jdmccormick@btinternet.com
Conway
S P
SP
Mehta
A
A
D000375:Aging; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values; D006113:United Kingdom