Tomoyuki Asadasa, Toshiaki Kotani, Tsuyoshi Sakuma, Yasushi Iijima, Kotaro Sakashita, Yosuke Ogata, 
Tsutomu Akazawa, Shohei Minami, Seiji Ohtori, Masao Koda, Masashi Yamazaki

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2024 Apr 10.doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000004997

Abstract

Study design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To identify factors contributing to optimal bracing compliance in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Summary of background data: Poor brace compliance is a key factor affecting brace treatment success in AIS. Predictive factors influencing optimal brace compliance to achieve brace treatment success remain unknown.

Materials and methods: This study included AIS patients, aged 10-15, with a Cobb angle of 20-40 degrees. Demographics data, radiographic assessments, and patient-reported outcomes (including the SRS-22r patient questionnaire) were collected. Brace compliance was monitored using in-brace thermometers, defining optimal bracing time as more than 18 hours/day. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of optimal bracing time from the demographic and patient- reported outcomes score before bracing.

Results: Among 122 patients, 59.0% achieved optimal bracing time by six months. The achieved group indicated higher scores in satisfaction domain before bracing (3.3±0.7 vs. 3.1±0.6; P=0.034). Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that Satisfaction domain before bracing was an independent factor associated with achievement of the optimal bracing time (OR 1.97 [95%CI 1.00 – 3.89], P=0.049). The model with bracing at 1-month follow-up also demonstrated the bracing at 1-month was a significant factor (OR 1.52 [95%CI 1.30 – 1.79], P<0.001).

Conclusion: Optimal bracing compliance in AIS is significantly influenced by pre-bracing satisfaction and brace compliance at earlier time point. These findings highlight the need to address psychological factors and early compliance in AIS bracing treatment. SRS-22r can be useful to identify the need for psychological support.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38597189/

Pierre Côté, Stefano Negrini, Sabrina Donzelli, Carlotte Kiekens, Chiara Arienti, Maria G Ceravolo, Douglas P Gross, Irene Battel, Giorgio Ferriero,, Stefano G Lazzarini, Bernard Dan, Heather M Shearer, Jessica J Wong,; Participants in the 5th Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodological Meeting
Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2024 Feb;60(1):145-153.doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.24.08435-1.

Abstract

Rehabilitation providers and policymakers need valid evidence to make informed decisions about the healthcare needs of the population. Whenever possible, these decisions should be informed by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, there are circumstances when evidence needs to be generated rapidly, or when RCTs are not ethical or feasible. These situations apply to studying the effects of complex interventions, including rehabilitation as defined by Cochrane Rehabilitation.
Therefore, we explore using the target trial emulation framework by Hernán and colleagues to obtain valid estimates of the causal effects of rehabilitation when RCTs cannot be conducted. Target trial emulation is a framework guiding the design and analysis of non-randomized comparative effectiveness studies using observational data, by emulating a hypothetical RCT.
In the context of rehabilitation, we outline steps for applying the target trial emulation framework using real world data, highlighting methodological considerations, limitations, potential mitigating strategies, and causal inference and counterfactual theory as foundational principles to estimating causal effects. Overall, we aim to strengthen methodological approaches used to estimate causal effects of rehabilitation when RCTs cannot be conducted.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38420907/

Heemskerk, Nienke W Willigenburg , Ben E E M J Veraart, Eric W Bakker, René M Castelein, Mark C Altena, Diederik H R Kempen
Spine J. 2023 Nov 28:S1529-9430(23)03503-9.doi:10.1016/j. spinee.2023.11.012.

Abstract

Background context: Congenital and juvenile scoliosis are both early-onset deformities that develop before the age of 10. Children are treated to prevent curve progression and problems in adulthood such as back pain and a decreased quality of life but literature on long-term outcomes remains scarce.

Purpose: To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and potential disability of children with congenital scoliosis (CS) or juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS) after a minimum of 20 years follow-up.

Study design: Comparative cohort study.

Patient sample: A consecutive cohort of CS and JIS patients were retrospectively identified from a single-center scoliosis database. Patients born between 1968 and 1981 and treated during skeletal growth were eligible for participation.

Outcome measures: HRQoL (SF-36, SRS-22r, ODI).

Methods: The primary aim was to evaluate the HRQoL of CS and JIS patients using the general SF-36 questionnaire. Both patient cohorts were compared with age-matched national norms. The secondary aim was to analyze the differences between conservatively and surgically treated patients using the scoliosis-specific Scoliosis Research Society-22r questionnaire (SRS-22r) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). T-tests were used for statistical comparison.

Results: In total, 114 patients (67% of the eligible patients) completed the questionnaire, with a mean follow-up of 25.5±5.5 years after their final clinical follow-up. Twenty-nine patients with CS were included with a mean age of 44.4±3.8 years (79.3% female), and 85 patients with JIS with a mean age of 43.7±4.2 years (89.4% female). Of the SF-36 domains, only the vitality score (60.6±18.0 for CS and 58.1±17.6 for JIS cohort) and mental health score (70.0±18.4 for CS and 72.1±18.1 for JIS cohort) were significantly lower compared with the general population (68.6±19.3 for vitality, and 76.8±17.4 for mental health). These decreased scores were larger than the determined minimum clinically important difference threshold of 4.37. Surgically treated JIS patients had a significantly lower score on the SRS-22r pain domain than their non-surgically treated peers (3.6±0.9 vs. 4.1±0.7l p=.019). Surgically treated CS patients had a significantly higher score on the SRS-22r mental health domain than their non-surgically treated peers (4.3±0.5 vs. 3.5±1.0; p=.023). No significant differences were found in the other domains.

Conclusions: Except for vitality and mental health domains, congenital and juvenile idiopathic scoliosis patients treated during skeletal growth had similar HRQoL on most SF-36 domains in adulthood compared with national norms. Surgical treated JIS patients experienced more pain compared with brace treated patients, while braced CS patients had a significantly lower mental scores compared with surgical treated patients. These long-term outcomes are essential to inform patients and can guide shared decision-making between clinicians and patients.

Keywords: Back pain; Brace; Bracing; Congenital scoliosis; EOS, early-onset scoliosis; HRQoL, health-related quality of life; JIS, juvenile idiopathic scoliosis; Long-term outcome; ODI, Oswestry Disability Index; QoL, quality of life; Refined SRS-22r; SF-36; Scoliosis Research Society 22-item Questionnaire; Surgery; Treatment.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38029931/

We know how important it is to share experiences and get comfort from those who are going through the same difficulties in a tiring and demanding therapy like that with exercises and braces. For this reason, a few months ago, we collected short testimonies from some of our patients participating in a summer camp organised by Isico.

Below, you can find one of these

I’m Alice- and I’ve been wearing a brace for more than two years. When I first got it, I was in my first year of High-School, and at the time, I was allowed 8 brace-off hours a day. Since I didn’t want to have to give up my dance and music, I started wearing my brace to school right from the start. I’ve never had any problems at school.

Between 2021 (when I first started my treatment) and today, I have managed to drastically change the way I see my brace. What helped me the most was being open about it, first with the people closest to me, of course. The fact that I stopped “hiding” my situation actually worked to my advantage.

My closest friends have always been very understanding and have never said anything even vaguely offensive. This has given me the confidence to not care or worry if someone notices my brace or I have to mention it.

A very important person on this path was my physio Marta, whose sweet and smiley nature has made me enjoy my physiotherapy sessions, which, in theory, you would expect to be extremely boring.

Finally, I must mention the summer camp in Riva del Garda Isico organised by Isico. It is a week-long camp where anyone can take part, as long as they wear or have worn a brace. This year I participated for the second time, together with the people who are probably my best friends, the other “braced guys” I met there last year. With them, going around with just your brace on, bathing in the lake, and swimming (as best you can, given your blocked back) were never a problem. In fact, we have loads of photos that show how much fun we all had. I know from experience how useful it can be to get to know someone who is in the same situation as you!

Every year, the Italian Scoliosis Study Group selects the best published papers on conservative spine treatment from the global scientific literature.
Here is the abstract from one of these papers. 

Validation of an artificial intelligence-based method to automate Cobb angle measurement on spinal radiographs of children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Jason C Wong, Marek Z Reformat, Eric C Parent, Kyle P Stampe, Sarah C Southon Hryniuk, Edmond H Lou 

Eur. J Phys Rehabil Med. 2023 Aug;59(4):535-542. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.23.08091-7.

Abstract

Background: Accurately measuring the Cobb angle on radiographs is crucial for diagnosis and treatment decisions for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, manual Cobb angle measurement is time-consuming and subject to measurement variation, especially for inexperienced clinicians.

Aim: This study aimed to validate a novel artificial-intelligence-based (AI) algorithm that automatically measures the Cobb angle on radiographs.

Design: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Setting: The population of patients attended the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Alberta, Canada.

Population: Children who: 1) were diagnosed with AIS, 2) were aged between 10 and 18 years old, 3) had no prior surgery, and 4) had a radiograph out of brace, were enrolled.

Methods: A total of 330 spinal radiographs were used. Among those, 130 were used for AI model development and 200 were used for measurement validation. Automatic Cobb angle measurements were validated by comparing them with manual ones measured by a rater with 20+ years of experience. Analysis was performed using the standard error of measurement (SEM), inter-method intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC<inf>2,1</inf>), and percentage of measurements within clinical acceptance (≤5°). Subgroup analysis was conducted by severity, region, and X-ray system to identify any systematic biases.

Results: The AI method detected 346 of 352 manually measured curves (mean±standard deviation: 24.7±9.5°), achieving 91% (316/346) of measurements within clinical acceptance. Excellent reliability was obtained with 0.92 ICC and 0.79° SEM. Comparable performance was found throughout all subgroups, and no systematic biases in performance affecting any subgroup were discovered. The algorithm measured each radiograph approximately 18s on average which is slightly faster than the estimated measurement time of an experienced rater. Radiographs taken by the EOS X-ray system were measured more quickly on average than those taken by a conventional digital X-ray system (10s vs. 26s).

Conclusions: An AI-based algorithm was developed to measure the Cobb angle automatically on radiographs and yielded reliable measurements quickly. The algorithm provides detailed images on how the angles were measured, providing interpretability that can give clinicians confidence in the measurements.

Clinical rehabilitation impact: Employing the algorithm in practice could streamline clinical workflow and optimize measurement accuracy and speed in order to inform AIS treatment decisions.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37746786/