Abstract
Background: Little work has focused on the effect of formal bracing on the health-related quality of life (QOL) of affected adolescents
Aim: The aim of this comparative study was to assess the quality of life of adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis in relation with the duration of application of modified Boston brace, as a conservative treatment.
Methods: 91 adolescents, 10 to 18 years old with idiopathic scoliosis who were treated conservatively with modified Boston brace took part in this study. The mean daily time of brace application was over 12 hours. Adolescents with history of acute or chronic illness, surgical treatment, mental retardation, neuromuscular disease or other congenital anomaly were excluded from the research.
The adolescents were divided in two groups. In the first group (n=47) were included adolescents wearing the brace for over two years (mean time of application 3, 3 years) and the second group (n=44) included adolescents, which have been treated with Boston brace for less than two years (mean time of application 1, 2 years).
Every child completed a detailed questionnaire (SRS-22) concerning the evaluation of function, pain, self image, mental health and satisfaction with management. Both groups were comparable according to age and degrees of scoliotic curve.
Results: There was no statistical significant difference concerning the results in every domain of the questionnaire between both groups. However the results concerning mental health show tendency towards significance favoring the second group.
Conclusion: Mental health of adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis wearing modified Boston brace needs to be further investigated.
Correspondence should be addressed to: EFORT Central Office, Technoparkstrasse 1, CH – 8005 Zürich, Switzerland. Email: office@efort.org
