Epidemiological Portrait of Pediatric Scoliosis in a Tertiary Hospital in Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To trace the epidemiological profile of patients with pediatric scoliosis in a tertiary hospital in the region of Campinas - SP, seeking to understand and evaluate the demand of these patients, the results of delay in treatment, and its impact on the progression of the deformity. Methods: An epidemiological, observational, and cross-sectional study was carried out in a digital database, including patients from 0 to 18 years of age, where sociodemographic variables, scoliosis classification, and institutional follow-up and treatment data were collected. Results: The sample had 30 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The age of the patients ranged from 5 years to 18 years, with a mean of 12.8 years. Neuromuscular scoliosis was the most prevalent etiology (40%), followed by congenital scoliosis (36.6%) and, to a lesser extent, idiopathic scoliosis (23.3%). The patient follow-up time between the first and last appointment has an average of 74.7 months. When the specialty monitors the patient, the initial and final Cobb angles are evaluated in degrees, with a percentage increase of 40.3%. Delay in care (outpatient care, conservative treatment, or surgery) was identified in 25 patients (83.3% of the sample). Conclusion: Most of the patients evaluated showed evolution of the scoliosis condition, especially due to the delay in care, failure to obtain surgical treatment, or even conservative treatment in an adequate time, with an increase in the magnitude of the curve and greater severity of the case. Level of Evidence III; Observational, Cross-Sectional Study.