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Bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis may not negatively impact body image in female patients
Using data from the Bracing in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial, researchers found that wearing a brace to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis does not have a negative impact on the body image or quality of life of female patients.
Researchers included 319 female patients in the study. The cohort was split into a randomized arm (132 patients) and preference arm (187 patients), and were either treated with braces (199 patients) or were observed (120 patients). All patients in the study completed the Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQoL) 4 at baseline, 6-month follow-up and at visits up to 2-year follow-up. Researchers found the only significant difference between the randomization and preference arms at 6-months follow-up was poorer quality of life (QoL) in the randomization cohort at 6 months.
There were no significant differences between the randomized and preference brace-treated patients for body image or quality of life through 2-year follow-up. Poorer body image significantly correlated with worse QoL through 2-year follow-up regardless of study arm treatment, according to researchers.
“When looking at differences among treatment groups, findings from this study indicate that brace treatment does not negatively impact body image or QoL in female adolescents with AIS. Furthermore, the QoL scores in both treatment groups were similar to mean total scores for healthy children, which range from 83 to 86 depending on age. Results from this study do not support previous research suggesting that brace wear has a negative impact on psychosocial well-being, in particular body image and QoL,” researchers wrote in the study. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosures: Schwieger reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.