Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is associated with low bone mineral density, which could be related to its etiopathogenesis. Apart from bone density, bone micro-architectures are equally important for better understanding of disease initiation and progression in AIS. Quantitative assessment of bone quality is hampered by the invasive nature of investigations, until recently when the high-resolution pQCT (XtremeCT) became available for revolutionary in-vivo microimaging and derivation of bone micro-architectural parameters. Our objective was to use this powerful instrument to study bone qualities in AIS and compare findings with those from healthy controls. 48 girls with AIS and 84 sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Cobb angle was measured with standing radiographs, and imaging of the non-dominant distal radius was captured with XtremeCT according to a standard protocol.Introduction
Methods
Sleep disturbance is frequently reported by people with chronic low back pain (CLBP >12 weeks), but there is limited knowledge of their sleep quality compared to healthy people. While disturbed sleep influences patients' mood, quality of life and recovery, few studies have comprehensively investigated sleep in CLBP. This study investigated differences in sleep profiles of people with CLBP, compared to age- and gender matched controls over seven consecutive nights. Thirty-two consenting subjects (n=16 with CLBP, n=16 matched controls), aged 24-65 years (43.8% male) underwent an interview regarding sleep influencing variables (e.g. mattress firmness, caffeine consumption), completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Diary, SF36-v2, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and CLBP measures (i.e. Oswestry Disability Index and Numerical Pain Scales), recorded seven consecutive nights of sleep in their home using actigraphy, and completed a Devices Utility Questionnaire.Background and purpose
Methods
Aims. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of
sarcopenia and to examine its impact on patients with degenerative
lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS). Patients and Methods. This
This systematic review aims to identify 3D predictors derived from biplanar reconstruction, and to describe current methods for improving curve prediction in patients with mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. A comprehensive search was conducted by three independent investigators on MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Search terms included “adolescent idiopathic scoliosis”,“3D”, and “progression”. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were carefully defined to include clinical studies. Risk of bias was assessed with the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool (QUIPS) and Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS), and level of evidence for each predictor was rated with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. In all, 915 publications were identified, with 377 articles subjected to full-text screening; overall, 31 articles were included.Aims
Methods
To systematically evaluate whether bracing can effectively achieve curve regression in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), and to identify any predictors of curve regression after bracing. Two independent reviewers performed a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library to obtain all published information about the effectiveness of bracing in achieving curve regression in AIS patients. Search terms included “brace treatment” or “bracing,” “idiopathic scoliosis,” and “curve regression” or “curve reduction.” Inclusion criteria were studies recruiting patients with AIS undergoing brace treatment and one of the study outcomes must be curve regression or reduction, defined as > 5° reduction in coronal Cobb angle of a major curve upon bracing completion. Exclusion criteria were studies including non-AIS patients, studies not reporting p-value or confidence interval, animal studies, case reports, case series, and systematic reviews. The GRADE approach to assessing quality of evidence was used to evaluate each publication.Aims
Methods
Background and purpose of study:. Chronic back pain is a complex and poorly understood condition incorporating sensory, cognitive and emotional elements. Research demonstrates a strong association between chronic back pain and cognitive and non-cognitive factors such as anxiety, depression, fear-avoidance and self-efficacy. However, until very recently, the way in which chronic back pain sufferers process their emotions was largely unknown. To this end, we conducted two
Two collagen type IX gene polymorphisms that introduce a tryptophan residue into the protein’s triple-helical domain have been linked to an increased risk of lumbar disc disease. To determine whether a particular subset of symptomatic lumbar disease is specifically associated with these polymorphisms, we performed a prospective
Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common spinal deformity in adolescents and children. The aetiology of the disease remains unknown. Previous studies have shown a lower bone mineral density in individuals with idiopathic scoliosis, which may contribute to the causation. The aim of the present study was to compare bone health in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis with controls. We included 78 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (57 female patients) at a mean age of 13.7 years (8.5 to 19.6) and 52 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (39 female patients) at a mean age of 13.8 years (9.1 to 17.6). Mean skeletal age, estimated according to the Tanner-Whitehouse 3 system (TW3), was 13.4 years (7.4 to 17.8) for those with idiopathic scoliosis, and 13.1 years (7.4 to 16.5) for the controls. Mean Cobb angle for those with idiopathic scoliosis was 29° (SD 11°). All individuals were scanned with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative CT (pQCT) of the left radius and tibia to assess bone density. Statistical analyses were performed with independent-samples Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to evaluate improvements in the quality
and safety of paediatric spinal surgery following the implementation
of a specialist Paediatric Spinal Surgical Team (PSST) in the operating
theatre. A retrospective consecutive case study of paediatric spinal operations
before (between January 2008 and December 2009), and after (between
January 2012 and December 2013) the implementation of PSST, was
performed. A comparative analysis of outcome variables including
surgical site infection (SSI), operating time (ORT), blood loss (BL),
length of stay (LOS), unplanned staged procedures (USP) and transfusion
rates (allogenic and cell-saver) was performed between the two groups.
The rate of complications during the first two postoperative years
was also compared between the groups.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of maturity status at the time of surgery on final spinal height in patients with an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using the spine-pelvic index (SPI). The SPI is a self-control ratio that is independent of age and maturity status. The study recruited 152 female patients with a Lenke 1 AIS. The additional inclusion criteria were a thoracic Cobb angle between 45° and 70°, Risser 0 to 1 or 3 to 4 at the time of surgery, and follow-up until 18 years of age or Risser stage 5. The patients were stratified into four groups: Risser 0 to 1 and selective fusion surgery (Group 1), Risser 0 to 1 and non-selective fusion (Group 2), Risser 3 to 4 and selective fusion surgery (Group 3), and Risser 3 to 4 and non-selective fusion (Group 4). The height of spine at follow-up (HOSf) and height of pelvis at follow-up (HOPf) were measured and the predicted HOS (pHOS) was calculated as 2.22 (SPI) × HOPf. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for statistical analysis.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to report a retrospective, consecutive
series of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) who
were treated with posterior minimally invasive surgery (MIS) with
a mean follow-up of two years ( We prospectively collected the data of 70 consecutive patients
with AIS treated with MIS using three incisions and a muscle-splitting
approach by a single surgeon between June 2013 and February 2016
and these were retrospectively reviewed. There were eight male and
62 female patients with a mean age of 15 years (Aims
Patients and Methods