The influencing factors of curve flexibility in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

English Keywords:Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis  Curve flexibility  Influencing factors

English Abstract:

  【Abstract】 Objective：To assess the curve flexibility in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis（AIS） and investigate its influencing factors.Method：This study included 204 patients with AIS（36 males，168 females），selected from December 2006 to April 2008，with mean age 15.0 years old，mean Cobb angle 50.1°，mean Risser sign 3.4，mean main curve span 6.8 vertebrae and mean apical rotation 2.0°．Preoperative radiographs included a standing posteroanterior film and supine maximal voluntary side bending films of the spine.The relationships between these clinical index and curve flexibility were assessed using correlation analysis.Result：The curve flexibility was significantly higher in female AIS patients than the males（P＜0.05）.Furthermore，the patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar scoliosis had significantly better curve flexibility compare to thoracic scoliosis（P＜0.05）.However，there was no significantly difference in curve flexibility of AIS patients between thora?鄄columbar and lumbar AIS patients（P＞0.05）.Correlation analysis showed that Cobb angle and age were significant predictors of curve flexibility in the group of AIS girls.When menarche age and apical vertebral rotation were highly correlated with curve flexibility in AIS female patients with thoracic curve.Moreover，significant negative correlation were observed between the side bending Cobb angle in thoracic AIS boys，and the major Cobb angle measured on posteroanterior and lateral-bending radiographs in thoracolumbar and lumbar AIS boys and curve flexibility.There was no significant correlation between Risser sign，main curve span and curve flexibility.Conclusion：Cobb angle，age，menarche age，apical vertebral rotation，and curve location are useful predictors of curve flexibility in AIS girls.In addition，correlation analysis shows that Cobb angle and curve location are the only significant predictors of flexibility in AIS boys.