Thoracic changes and exercise capacity in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Abstract

Introduction: The spine deformity due to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) generates respiratory mechanical limitations that may reduce the physical activity performance. Objective: To evaluate the thoracic deformity, exercise capacity and lung function in AIS patients comparing to healthy adolescentes. Besides investigating associations between thoracic deformity and exercise capacity in AIS patients. Methods: Thirty-two AIS patients and 22 healthy adolescents underwent chest wall evaluation by photogrammetry. We created thoracic markers shaped as angles (A): A3 (xiphoid process and the last false rib on the right and left sides) and A5E (inframamilar / inferior angle of the scapula / left acromion). Individuals were submitted to incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) and physiological responses were quantified: oxygen consumption (VO2), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation (VE), the rate of gas exchange (R) and the walked distance (ISWD). Pulmonary function test was performed and the forced vital capacity (FVC) and expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) were obtained. Results: Patients with AIS presented FVC (p = 0.015), FEV1 (p = 0.044), VO2 (p = 0.015), VO2/kg (p = 0.008), VT (p < 0.001), VE (p = 0,010) and ISWD significantly reduced compared to healthy adolescents. We found moderate correlations

Association between lung function, thoracoabdominal mobility and posture in cystic fibrosis: pilot study

“…The use of photogrammetry for postural evaluation is already well established in scientific research and clinical practice [13][14][15][16]. In recent years, this resource has also been used for rib cage evaluation [17][18] and increasingly for the assessment of thoracoabdominal mobility in children [19], newborns [20] and adults [21], in populations ranging from athletes [21] to individuals with respiratory diseases [22][23]. However, there has been no other study using this technique to assess thoracoabdominal mobility in children with CF.…”

Reliability measure of the rib cage deformity by a postural assessment software in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

“…In the first, the authors showed distinct angles with excellent intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility and good accuracy to detect thoracic alterations in children born prematurely. The others studies showed the correlation between exercise capacity, lung function, and chest wall geometry 10,16,17 .…”

“…Despite the increasing number of studies using photogrammetry 10,[12][13][14][15][16][17] , there is still no standardization on angles used to verify chest wall changes.…”