Overweight is not predictive of reduced effectiveness of orthosis treatment in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: results from a retrospective cohort

Methods Design: retrospective cohort study. Population: 351 AIS patients (306 females), age 10-15 years at first assessment (average 12.9±1.4), worst curve 35.6±11.4° Cobb, ATR 11±4.3°, median Risser 2, BMI 19.7±3. All subjects included were prescribed a brace treatment at first visit (initially 18-23 hours per day) accompanied by Scoliosis Physiotherapic Exercise according to the Scientific Exercises Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) protocol. After the treatment, all patients were evaluated again and changes were analysed. Outcome: n° of patients improved/worsened (defined as patients with a change of more than 5° Cobb) or stable, average change of Cobb angle. Statistical analysis: a stepwise linear regression was used to look for the effect of BMI as a predictor of result. A chi-square test and a logistic were used for the category of overweight patients (BMI385° percentile). During the statistical analysis, we controlled for possible confounders.