Change of selenium in environment and risk of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES Scoliosis is the disease which has a long history over one century. However, the pathogenesis remains unclear at present. To demonstrate the effect of different selenium content in environment on the morbidity of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). METHODS Retrospective cohort study (follow-up from 1997 to 2009): compare the difference morbidity between high selenium group and the normal selenium group of AIS. PATIENTS 9998 cases from three areas in China were participated in this study. There is different selenium content in these three areas. RESULTS High selenium levels were significant associated with the AIS morbidity. While low selenium level had no significant correlation with the AIS morbidity. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed that high selenium content in the environment was one of risk factors for idiopathic scoliosis. We speculated that the excessive growth of the spine and the spinal cord asynchronous growth effect were key factors that high selenium content in the environment leads to scoliosis.