A study published in Spinal Deformity examines the psychological profile of children who undergo repetitive procedures for early onset scoliosis.
The researchers examined 21 children with early onset scoliosis who underwent more than five surgical procedures — the index and lengthening procedures — for the growing rod treatment. The average patient was 6.4 years old for the index surgery and 13.5 years old at the final follow-up.
The researchers found:
1. An increased percentage of EOS patients reported depressive symptoms when compared with the general population; 23.8 percent of the EOS patients reported depressive symptoms, compared with 8 percent to 11 percent in the general population.
2. Around one-third of the EOS patients reported generalized anxiety disorder, compared with 1.7 percent to 5 percent of children in the general population.
3. The EOS patients were more likely to report a psychiatric condition when compared with their peers who didn't have EOS, but there wasn't a correlation with orthopedic variables.
4. The number of surgical procedures negatively correlated with Beck Anxiety Inventory scores, Self-Report for Childhood Anxiety Related Disorders and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire behavioral domains.
5. The number of procedures positively correlated with emotional functioning, psychological health summary score, Quality of Life Scale for Children and increased social/physical functioning per patient report, according to the study abstract.
6. The non-idiopathic patients were more likely to have behavioral/attention difficulties when compared with the idiopathic patients. The non-idiopathic patients were also more likely to report lower physical, emotional and social functioning.
"Quality of life improves with age, which may be due to a decrease in anticipatory anxiety and increase in coping abilities," concluded the study authors. "Comorbidities further complicate the situation. These findings show that EOS patients would benefit greatly form professional mental support during their lengthy treatment."