title: Health-related quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis after treatment: short-term effects after brace or surgical treatment.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. e.bunge@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Eveline M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bunge
authors.forename: Rikard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Juttmann
authors.forename: Marinus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Kleuver
authors.forename: Frans C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: van Biezen
authors.forename: Harry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: de Koning
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001915:Braces; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome