title: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: epidemiology and treatment outcome in a large cohort of children six years after screening.
abstract: A prospective study was carried out in a cohort of 6873 children to determine diagnosis and treatment rates for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and to establish the distribution of parameters related to bracing. The follow-up completion rate was 85%, and prevalence rates were adjusted accordingly. The prevalence of AIS of 6 degrees or more at time of diagnosis was 8.1%. The female to male ratio for curves of 6 degrees or more was 1.07:1 with an increase to 6:1 for curves greater than 21 degrees. The rate of brace treatment was 2.8 per 1000. Deterioration, defined as progression of a scoliosis curve to the point where a brace was prescribed, was found in 3.7% of the scoliosis group. Fifteen children were prescribed braces: eight did not follow the treatment plan adequately (non-compliers), and five among these abandoned the follow-up programme. However, none of the non-compliers deteriorated to the point where spinal fusion was required.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001915:Braces; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011792:Quebec; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy