Body growth parameters in girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: single thoracic idiopathic scoliosis versus single lumbar idiopathic scoliosis

Abstract

Objective To investigate anthropometric and body composition parameters of girls with single thoracic idiopathic scoliosis and lumbar idiopathic scoliosis in China.Methods Three hundred and thirty-nine adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) girls and 3914 healthy girls,aged 10-17 years,were included.All AIS girls had a mean Cobb angle of 32°±10° (range,15°-63°).According to the locations of curves end vertebrae,AIS girls were divided into 2 subgroups:a single thoracic curve and a single lumbar curve.Body weight and standing height were measured,and body mass index (BMI) and leg length were calculated of each subject in three groups,and corrected height was computed in AIS group according to Bjure's formula.One-way ANOVA was used to determine the statistical differences in weight,height,corrected height and BMI between AIS and healthy girls.Results Standing height and sitting height showed no significant difference between thoracic scoliosis and lumbar scoliosis girls.Compared to healthy girls at the same age,thoracic and lumbar AIS girls had a significantly higher corrected standing and sitting height,arm span and leg length.Thoracic AIS girls had a significantly lower body weight than healthy girls at the age of 15 years.Yet,body weight showed no significant difference between lumbar AIS and healthy girls.Conclusion Compared to healthy girls at the same age,the thoracic and lumbar AIS girls had the similar abnormal growth characteristics.In addition,thoracic AIS girls are leaner than healthy girls. Key words: Scoliosis; Adolescent; Growth