The researchers examined consecutive patients with symptomatic adult spinal deformity enrolled in a multicenter database. The 497 patients in the database were enrolled between 2008 and 2011. The researchers found:
1. The average physical component summary for all the spinal deformity patients was lower than the United States total population — 40.9 compared with 50.
2. The generational decline in the physical component summary for the spinal deformity patients without other comorbidities was “more rapid” than norms in the United States.
3. The physical component score worsened for patients with lumbar scoliosis and increasing sagittal vertical access. The patients with isolated thoracic scoliosis reported similar PCS score values as those with chronic pain.
4. The patients with lumbar scoliosis and severe sagittal malalignment showed worse PCS scores than patients with limited arm and leg use.
5. The researchers concluded symptomatic adult spinal deformity was heterogeneous and can be debilitating on the patients’ health depending on the deformity type and severity.
“Healthcare providers must be aware of the types of SASD that correlate with disability to facilitate appropriate diagnosis, treatment and research efforts,” concluded the study authors.
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