Health-related Quality of Life of Adolescents With Severe Untreated Congenital Kyphosis and Kyphoscoliosis in a Developing Country.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study OBJECTIVE.: The aim of this study was to study the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of adolescents with severe untreated congenital kyphosis (CK) and congenital kyphoscoliosis (CKS) in a developing country.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Surgical intervention is generally indicated early in patients with progressive CK or CKS to prevent the progression of deformity and to improve the quality of life of the patients. HRQOL of adolescents with untreated CK and CKS in developing countries has never been investigated.

METHODS: Arabic version of the Scoliosis Research Society 22 revision (SRS-22r) questionnaire used to study HRQOL of adolescents with severe untreated CK or CKS in a dev eloping country.

RESULTS: A total of 134 adolescent (mean age 17.1 years) completed SRS-22r questionnaire: 38 patients with CK from 80° to 110° (group 1), 24 patients with CK > 110° (group 2), 27 patients with CKS (group 3), and 45 healthy controls (group 4). Group 1 had significant lower scores than group 4 in all SRS 22r domains (P < 0.001). Scores of all domains except pain showed significant (P < 0.001) decrease with increase of the severity of CK. Group 3 had significant lower scores than group 2 in all SRS-22r domains except mental health. Satisfaction domain had significant lower scores than all other SRS-22r domains for group 1, 2, and 3. All patients of groups 2 and 3 gave the minimum answers for satisfaction domain questions. A total of 69%, 84% and 94% of group 1, 2, and 3, respectively, gave the minimum answer when asked whether their back condition affects their personal relationships. Female patients of group 1, 2, and 3 had significant lower scores for self-image domain.

CONCLUSION: HRQOL is severely affected in adolescents with untreated severe CK and CKS in a developing country.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.