Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Health-related quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis after treatment: short-term effects after brace or surgical treatment

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Spine Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

For treatment of teenagers with progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in an early stage, two options are generally considered: treatment with a brace or observation followed by surgery if necessary. Many doctors and patients prefer conservative treatment (i.e. brace treatment) to surgical treatment, because surgery of the spine is generally considered a drastic intervention. Because potential differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after treatment between braced and surgically treated patients are not well explored, this study aimed to determine whether short-term differences exist in HRQoL between adolescents treated with a brace or treated surgically. A cross-sectional analysis of HRQoL was made of 109 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who, after completing treatment, filled out the Dutch SRS-22 Patient Questionnaire. All patients had been treated either with a brace or surgery, or with a brace followed by surgery. Patients treated surgically had significantly higher mean scores in the satisfaction with management domain than those treated with a brace. No other consistent differences in HRQoL were found between patients treated with a brace and patients treated surgically. Gender, curve type and curve size had no relevant effect on HRQoL. We conclude that short-term differences in HRQoL after treatment in adolescent patients with idiopathic scoliosis are negligible and cannot support preference of one treatment above the other.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ascani E, Bartolozzi P, Logroscino CA, Marchetti PG, Ponte A, Savini R et al (1986) Natural history of untreated idiopathic scoliosis after skeletal maturity. Spine 11:784–789

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Asher M, Min Lai S, Burton D, Manna B (2003) Discrimination validity of the scoliosis research society-22 patient questionnaire: relationship to idiopathic scoliosis curve pattern and curve size. Spine 28:74–78

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Asher M, Min Lai S, Burton D, Manna B (2003) Scoliosis research society-22 patient questionnaire: responsiveness to change associated with surgical treatment. Spine 28:70–73

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Asher M, Min Lai S, Burton D, Manna B (2003) The reliability and concurrent validity of the scoliosis research society-22 patient questionnaire for idiopathic scoliosis. Spine 28:63–69

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bago J, Climent JM, Ey A, Perez-Grueso FJ, Izquierdo E (2004) The Spanish version of the SRS-22 patient questionnaire for idiopathic scoliosis: transcultural adaptation and reliability analysis. Spine 29:1676–1680

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Brooks R (1996) EuroQol: the current state of play. Health Policy 37:53–72

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Climent JM, Bago J, Ey A, Perez-Grueso FJ, Izquierdo E (2005) Validity of the Spanish Version of the Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) Patient Questionnaire. Spine 30:705–709

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Danielsson AJ, Nachemson AL (2003) Back pain and function 22 years after brace treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a case-control study—part I. Spine 28:2078–2085 (discussion 2086)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Danielsson AJ, Wiklund I, Pehrsson K, Nachemson AL (2001) Health-related quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a matched follow-up at least 20 years after treatment with brace or surgery. Eur Spine J 10:278–288

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Dickson RA, Weinstein SL (1999) Bracing (and screening)—yes or no? J Bone Joint Surg Br 81:193–198

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Donnelly MJ, Dolan LA, Weinstein SL (2003) How effective is bracing for treatment of scoliosis? Am Fam Physician 67:32, 35 (author reply 35)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Goldberg CJ, Moore DP, Fogarty EE, Dowling FE (2001) Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: the effect of brace treatment on the incidence of surgery. Spine 26:42–47

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Guyatt GH, Feeny DH, Patrick DL (1993) Measuring health-related quality of life. Ann Intern Med 118:622–629

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Haher TH, Gorup JM, Shin TM, Homel P, Merola AA, Grogan DP et al (1999) Results of the Scoliosis Research Society Instrument for evaluation of surgical outcome in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. a multicenter study of 244 patients. Spine 24:1435–1440

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Helenius I, Remes V, Yrjonen T, Ylikoski M, Schlenzka D, Helenius M et al (2005) Does gender affect outcome of surgery in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? Spine 30:462–467

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Higginson IJ, Carr AJ (2001) Measuring quality of life: using quality of life measures in the clinical setting. Br Med J 322:1297–1300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Korfage IJ, Juttmann RE, Das BV, Diepstraten AF, Hazebroek-Kampschreur AA, van der Maas PJ (2002) [Idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents; an inventory into the possibilities of studying the efficacy of screening and treatment] Idiopathische scoliose bij adolescenten; inventarisatie van mogelijkheden van onderzoek naar de effectiviteit van screening en behandeling. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 146:1228–1233

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Moe J, Lonstein J (1995) Idiopathic scoliosis. In: Lonstein J (ed) Moe’s textbook of scoliosis and other spinal deformities. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 219–256

    Google Scholar 

  19. Scoliosis Research Society (1987) Morbidity and mortality committee report

  20. Sucato DJ, Hedequist D, Karol LA (2004) Operative correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in male patients. a radiographic and functional outcome comparison with female patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am 86A:2005–2014

    Google Scholar 

  21. Weinstein SL, Dolan LA, Spratt KF, Peterson KK, Spoonamore MJ, Ponseti IV (2003) Health and function of patients with untreated idiopathic scoliosis: a 50-year natural history study. JAMA 289:559–567

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) Grant # 2200.0127.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Eveline M. Bunge, Rikard E. Juttmann & Harry J. de Koning

  2. Department of Orthopedics, Sint Maartenskliniek Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Marinus de Kleuver

  3. Department of Orthopedics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Frans C. van Biezen

Authors
  1. Eveline M. Bunge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rikard E. Juttmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marinus de Kleuver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Frans C. van Biezen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Harry J. de Koning
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Consortia

and The NESCIO group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eveline M. Bunge.

Additional information

The NESCIO group: H.D. Been, MD, PhD, L.N.J.E.M. Coene, MD, PhD, H. Creemers, MD, A.J. de Gruijter, MD, PhD, A.A.J.M. Hazebroek-Kampschreur, MD, PhD, P. Klop, MD, H.J.A. Kruls, MD, PhD, P.J.M. van Loon, MD, L.C.F. Luttmer, MD, F. de Nies, MD, J.E.H. Pruijs, MD, PhD, L.W. van Rhijn, MD, PhD, M.P. Teeuwen, MD, P.A. Wiegersma, MD, PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bunge, E.M., Juttmann, R.E., de Kleuver, M. et al. Health-related quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis after treatment: short-term effects after brace or surgical treatment. Eur Spine J 16, 83–89 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-006-0097-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-006-0097-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation