title: The prevalence and radiological findings in 1347 elderly patients with scoliosis.
abstract: In order to determine the epidemiology of adult scoliosis in the elderly and to analyse the radiological parameters and symptoms related to adult scoliosis, we carried out a prospective cross-sectional radiological study on 1347 adult volunteers. There were 615 men and 732 women with a mean age of 73.3 years (60 to 94), and a mean Cobb angle of 7.55 degrees (sd 5.95). In our study, 478 subjects met the definition of scoliosis (Cobb angle > or = 10 degrees ) showing a prevalence of 35.5%. There was a significant difference in the epidemiological distribution and prevalence between the age and gender groups. The older adults showed a larger prevalence and more severe scoliosis, more prominent in women (p = 0.004). Women were more affected by adult scoliosis and showed more linear correlation with age (p < 0.001). Symptoms were more severe in those with scoliosis than in the normal group, but were similar between the mild, moderate and severe scoliosis groups (p = 0.224) and between men and women (p = 0.231). Adult scoliosis showed a significant relationship with lateral listhesis, vertebral rotation, lumbar hypolordosis, sagittal imbalance and a high level of the L4-5 disc (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.002, p = 0.002, p < 0.0001 respectively). Lateral listhesis, lumbar hypolordosis and sagittal imbalance were related to symptoms (p < 0.0001, p = 0.001, p < 0.0001 respectively).
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Korea University Guro Hospital, 80 Guro-Dong, Guro-Gu, Seoul 152-703, Korea.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Modi
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D017678:Sex Distribution