Bone mineral density at the femur and lumbar spine in a population of young women treated for scoliosis in adolescence.

Objectives: To evaluate associations between scoliosis and bone mineral density. Many of the factors involved in the etiopathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis also affect peak bone mass acquisition, which occurs primarily during puberty, a period of progression for scoliosis.

Method: We compared 33 patients treated for scoliosis with 33 controls and looked for correlations between bone mineral density and a number of retrospectively collected parameters (e.g., duration of bracing, outcome in adulthood).

Results: Bone mineral density values were lower in the patients than in the controls. Among the patients, those with osteopenia wore a brace significantly longer and had more severe scoliosis in adulthood than those without osteopenia.

Conclusions: These findings suggest a need for osteopenia screening and prevention in children with scoliosis, for monitoring physical activity and calcium intake during bracing, for preferring braces that allow greater mobility, and for closely monitoring the scoliosis during adulthood if osteopenia is present.