Abstract
Study design
Retrospective chart audit.
Objectives
Firstly determining the prevalence of scoliosis in myelomeningocele (MMC) patients of the University Hospitals Leuven. Secondly analyzing whether there are differences concerning distribution of radiological level, ambulatory status, hydrocephalus, tethered cord, and syringomyelia in MMC patients with/without scoliosis.
Setting
University Hospitals Leuven, spina bifida convention.
Methods
The following data were collected: age, gender, radiograph type, age at the time of the radiograph, position during radiograph, presence of fusion, age at the time of fusion, diagnosis of hydrocephalus, tethered cord, or syringomyelia, radiological level of MMC, ambulatory status, main Cobb angle, main curve convexity, and main curve location. Correlation between prevalence of scoliosis and ambulatory status, neurological comorbidities, and radiological level were investigated.
Results
There were 116 patients remaining, after excluding patients without MMC or useful images. The scoliosis prevalence in MMC patients was 78.4% (95% CI, 71.0–85.8) for Cobb angle ≥10°; 60.3% (95% CI, 51.4–69.2) for ≥20°, 52.6% (95% CI, 43.5–61.7) for ≥30°, and 36.6% (95% CI, 27.7–45.5) for an angle ≥40°. Wheelchair users had 4 to 8 times more chance of having scoliosis than patients able to walk on all surfaces without aid. Thoracolumbar and lumbar radiological levels had a slightly higher prevalence of scoliosis than sacral levels.
Conclusions
The high prevalence of scoliosis warrants a thorough screening and follow-up for MMC. There was no statistically significant difference between hydrocephalus, tethered cord, or syringomyelia regarding scoliosis. Future studies should focus on the interactions of the neurological comorbidities associated with MMC and scoliosis.
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Data availability
Data were retrieved from medical files of patients included in the Spina Bifida Convention, University Hospitals Leuven. The data are not publicly available due viewpoint of personal information protection but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Myleen Christian, coordinating nurse of the spina bifida convention Leuven, Bart Thomas, coordinator the spina bifida convention Ghent, and Dr. Ann Renders, responsible for the spina bifida convention Saint Luc Bruxelles for providing data concerning the conventions.
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AH was responsible for the data collection, analyzing data, interpreting results, and writing the paper. CK and SN were responsible for analyzing the data, interpreting the data, and revising the paper. KJ, PM, SS, and KP provided feedback on interpretation of the data and revised the paper.
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The study protocol was approved by the ethical committee of the University Hospitals Leuven.
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Heyns, A., Negrini, S., Jansen, K. et al. The prevalence of scoliosis within Belgian myelomeningocele population and the correlation with ambulatory status and neurological comorbidities: a chart audit. Spinal Cord 59, 1053–1060 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-020-00611-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-020-00611-3
