This version was machine-translated from German and has not been medically reviewed. The authoritative version is the German version.

PCDAI – Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index

Eleven items from history, examination and laboratory (0–100 points) with the cutoffs according to Turner 2010

Abdominal pain (last week)

none 0 mild: brief, without limitation of activity 5 moderate/severe: daily, prolonged, activity impaired, nocturnal 10

Stools per day

formed or up to 1 liquid stools, no blood 0 up to 2 semi-formed stools with little blood or 2–5 liquid stools ± little blood 5 visible bleeding, ≥ 6 loose stools or nocturnal diarrhea 10

General condition

no limitation, well 0 occasional difficulty with activities, not quite fit 5 frequent limitation, very poor 10

Weight (compared with measurement 4–6 months ago)

Increase, stable or voluntary decrease 0 involuntarily stable or decrease 1–9 % 5 Decrease ≥ 10 % 10

Linear growth

< 1 percentile channel drop (growth velocity ≥ −1 SD) 0 Decrease ≥ 1 and < 2 channels (< −1 to > −2 SD) 5 Decrease ≥ 2 channels (≤ −2 SD) 10

Abdomen

no tenderness, no mass 0 Tenderness or mass without tenderness 5 Tenderness, involuntary guarding or definite mass 10

Perianal findings

none or asymptomatic skin tags 0 1–2 indolent fistulas, minimal discharge, no tenderness 5 active fistula, discharge, tenderness or abscess 10

Extraintestinal manifestations (fever ≥ 38.5 °C on 3 days of the past week, arthritis, uveitis, erythema nodosum, pyoderma gangrenosum)

none 0 one 5 two or more 10

Hematocrit (%)

normal: > 33 (< 10 y), ≥ 34 (♀ 11–19 y), ≥ 35 (♂ 11–14 y), ≥ 37 (♂ 15–19 y) 0 mildly decreased: 28–32 / 29–33 / 30–34 / 32–36 2.5 decreased: < 28 / < 29 / < 30 / < 32 5

ESR (mm/h)

< 20 0 20–50 2.5 > 50 5

Albumin (g/dl)

≥ 3,5 0 3,1–3,4 5 ≤ 3,0 10

Calculation aid for healthcare professionals: the calculator reproduces what the sources cited assign to the inputs. Clinical assessment and every treatment decision remain with the treating physician. Inputs and results are not stored.

Found an error or have an idea?

Tell us if something does not work or could be better.

Give feedback

Sources

Development and validation of a pediatric Crohn's disease activity index (JPGN 12:439–447) Hyams JS, Ferry GD, Mandel FS, et al., 1991. Original paper (not free; items per two concordant reproductions)
Appraisal of the pediatric Crohn's disease activity index on four prospectively collected datasets: recommended cutoff values and clinimetric properties (Am J Gastroenterol 105:2085–2092) Turner D, Griffiths AM, Walters TD, et al., 2010. Original paper (abstract with cut-offs)
wPCDAI Calculator – Shaare Zedek Medical Center (Pediatric Gastroenterology, Turner et al.) Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, 2024. Reference calculator of the author group (read)
Mathematical weighting of the pediatric Crohn's disease activity index (PCDAI) and comparison with its other short versions (Inflamm Bowel Dis 18:55–62) Turner D, Griffiths AM, Walters TD, et al., 2012. Original paper (not free; items and cut-offs per the calculator of the Shaare Zedek Medical Center)

Scientific basis last reviewed: September 2026.

Related calculators

Note

Calculation aid for healthcare professionals. Percentiles and z-scores describe the position of a measured value in the reference population; clinical assessment remains with the treating physician.