Responsiveness of Image Perception Outcome Scales After Surgical Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Comparison Between the Trunk Appearance Perception Scale (TAPS) and Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) Questionnaire

Stress level and quality of life of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis during brace treatment

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of brace treatment on the stress level and quality of life (QoL) of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

Patients and methods

A total of 194 adolescent individuals were evaluated in two groups: the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) group with 97 patients (20 males, 77 females; mean age: 13.9±1.8 years; range 10 to 18 years) and the control group with 97 age-and sex-matched participants (20 males, 77 females; mean age: 14.3±1.7 years; range 10 to 18 years) with no spinal deformity. The AIS group wore the Milwaukee brace or a thoracolumbosacral orthosis based on the location of the apical vertebra. All participants of the AIS group filled the Persian versions of the revised Scoliosis Research Society 22-item questionnaire (SRS-22r), the eight-item Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ)-Deformity, and BSSQ-Brace. The control group only answered the first 20 items (subtotal items) of the SRS-22r. The brace-related QoL and stress level were assessed based on sex, brace, and deformity types.

Results

The subtotal score of the SRS-22r in the AIS group was significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001). There was a significant difference between deformity-related stress and brace-related stress (p<0.001). Regarding the type of treatment, there were no significant differences in QoL and stress level between the Milwaukee brace and thoracolumbosacral orthosis groups (p>0.05). Moreover, there was a weak correlation between the BSSQ-Brace and the self-image, mental-health scores, and the total scores of the SRS-22r (r=0.39 to 0.42, p<0.001); the low level of perceived stress was associated with a high level of perceived QoL.

Conclusion

The stress due to brace treatment can decrease function/activity and self-image of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

Disease-Specific Outcome Measures Evaluating The Health-Related Quality Of Life Of Children And Adolescents With Idiopathic Scoliosis And Scheuermann's Kyphosis: A Literature Review

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and Scheuermann's kyphosis (SK) are the most common types of spinal deformities in adolescents, and both have substantial ramifications on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) parameters. Various questionnaires have been developed to assess HRQoL in age-group populations with spinal deformity. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of consensus across the literature as to which instrument is the most suitable for evaluating the HRQoL of this cohort. Thus, this literature review was conducted to present disease-specific questionnaires for children and adolescents with AIS and SK to provide their psychometric characteristics (validity, reliability, and responsiveness) across different languages. A literature search was performed in the Medline (PubMed), Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases. Studies that outlined the development and application of questionnaires evaluating HRQoL of children and adolescents with spinal deformity were included, and data on their validity and reliability in different translated languages were collected. A total of 10 disease-specific questionnaires were identified. Except for one questionnaire that was a proxy-reported measure, the other questionnaires were self-reported. We determined that selecting the proper questionnaire for clinical and research purposes requires careful consideration of various factors including the type of treatment intervention planned as well as various patient demographic factors. For children with early-onset scoliosis, the ideal questionnaire to evaluate their HRQoL is the Early-Onset Scoliosis Questionnaire-24. For adolescents with AIS and SK who are potential candidates for surgical intervention, the use of Scoliosis Research Society-22, Scoliosis Japanese-27, and Quality of Life Profile Spinal Deformity questionnaires is appropriate. For patients who are under nonsurgical treatment, the Brace Questionnaire and Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life questionnaires can be utilized. Nonetheless, when the specific intent of a study is to evaluate the self-image perception of patients, the use of drawing-based questionnaires may be the optimal choice.

The body image disturbance questionnaire-scoliosis better correlates to quality of life measurements than the spinal assessment questionnaire in pediatric idiopathic scoliosis

PURPOSE

Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) patients can have body dissatisfaction which can affect their perception of health. Two body image measures, the Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) and the Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire-Scoliosis (BIDQ-S), have been used in pediatric IS with variable correlation to the SRS-22r and radiographs, but have not been compared to each other. As patient reported outcomes (PROs) continue to be highlighted in large database studies and national hospital ranking system scoring, we should narrow use to the best and most efficient. We aim to determine which of two better correlates to pediatric IS patients' radiographs and quality of life (QoL) scores.

METHODS

Consecutive IS patients aged 10-19 years old without surgery prospectively completed BIDQ-S, SAQ, SRS-22r, and PedsQL self-reported outcome measures. BIDQ-S and SAQ were compared in correlation to the two QoL surveys, as well as to radiographic major curve, shoulder asymmetry, lateral upright ribcage offset at apex, and coronal/sagittal balance. Spearman's r was used for correlations.

RESULTS

104 surveys with mean age 14.4 years and mean major curve 42° (14°-74°) were included. BIDQ-S and SAQ scores strongly correlated to each other (r = 0.76), but BIDQ-S had a stronger correlation to total SRS-22r (- 0.75 vs - 0.61 SAQ), PedsQL total (- 0.76 vs - 0.55) and better or no difference in each SRS-22r and PedsQL domain. Both poorly correlated to radiographs (main curve: r = 0.32 BIDQ-S, 0.31 SAQ).

CONCLUSION

The BIDQ-S correlates better to SRS-22r and PedsQL for pediatric IS patients than the SAQ. Neither correlate well to radiographs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.