Effect of bracing on the quality of life of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis

Abstract

Background context: There is considerable controversy regarding the effectiveness of bracing for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Furthermore, little work has focused on the effect of formal bracing on the health-related quality of life (QOL) of affected adolescents.

Purpose: This study is an attempt to assess the QOL of adolescents with AIS who were treated with a brace in comparison to those who were not.

Study design/setting: This is a questionnaire-based study of patients presenting to our institution for evaluation and treatment of AIS. The study was conducted at Columbia University and the New York Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY.

Patient sample: A total of 136 patients with AIS who were being observed and 78 patients who were braced were included in this study.

Outcome measures: The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) were administered to 214 parents of adolescents undergoing evaluation for AIS.

Methods: Parents of AIS patients were administered the CHQ and PODCI to assess their child's QOL. Independent samples t tests were conducted to compare the QOL among braced versus observed patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the effect of gender, age, curvature and treatment type on QOL.

Results: There were few differences in QOL between braced versus observed patients, but boys tended to outscore the girls across most domains. Surprisingly, the QOL of adolescents undergoing bracing in this study was not significantly lower than age-adjusted norms.

Conclusions: Brace wearing did not decrease the QOL of adolescents, compared with their observed counterparts, in our study population.