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Adolescents with spondylolysis have lower SRS-22 scores than controls and peers with pre-operative idiopathic scoliosis

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Abstract

Purpose

The Scoliosis Research Society Outcomes Questionnaire (SRS-22) is a health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) tool for scoliosis patients. Since no equivalent questionnaire exists for spondylolysis patients, we characterized patient-reported scores in pediatric spondylolysis patients using the SRS-22, and compared these scores to previously published values for age-matched controls and patients with pre-operative adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Methods

A single-institution cross-sectional observational study was performed using SRS-22 data from spondylolysis patients aged 12–18 years. Mean SRS-22 domain scores were compared to the existing literature values for adolescent control and AIS cohorts via unpaired Student t tests (α = 0.05) and against minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs).

Results

Thirty-five patients met inclusion criteria. Mean (± SD) spondylolysis patients’ scores met the MCID across all domains except Mental Health (\(\alpha\)= 0.05). Spondylolysis patient scores for Pain, Function, and Self-Image were significantly lower (p < 0.01) than AIS patients (Pain; 2.99 ± 0.66 vs 4.14 ± 0.79; Function; 3.81 ± 0.61 vs 4.09 ± 0.54; Self-Image; 3.45 ± 0.70 vs 3.80 ± 0.68).

Conclusion

The adolescent spondylolysis population has clinically significantly lower SRS-22 scores compared to age-matched controls and AIS patients, suggesting that the SRS-22 questionnaire should be given to this population to assess patients’ HRQL. Further research is needed to assess the utility of the SRS-22 in measuring treatment effects.

Level of evidence

III.

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Data availability

Retrospective case review conducted on Epic Hyperspace, not available.

Code availability

SAS 2016, Version 9.4m4, Cary, NC. Custom code, not available.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Austin Thompson for assistance in preparation of the manuscript and Nattaly Greene for her assistance with the data investigation.

Other Posted Submission Guidelines

Single decimal place limit: per email with Editor-in-Chief, John E Lonstein, two decimal places are permitted for data reported in this manuscript due to the comparisons to previously published literature, which reported to two decimal places.

Funding

There are no sources (including pharmaceutical and industry) to disclose. None of the authors received financial support for the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail Code OP31, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Natalie L. Zusman, Rita D. Somogyi, Nicole A. Barney, Scott Yang & Matthew F. Halsey

Authors
  1. Natalie L. Zusman
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  2. Rita D. Somogyi
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  3. Nicole A. Barney
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  4. Scott Yang
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  5. Matthew F. Halsey
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Contributions

All listed authors made substantial contributions to this manuscript and were responsible for specific content areas and critical revisions. Furthermore, all listed authors have approved this document as written and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. The authors made specific contributions noted: NLZ: conception, design, acquisition, and analysis, drafted and critically revised article, approved of and agreed to be accountable to all aspects of the work. RDS: acquisition and analysis, drafted article, approved of and agreed to be accountable to all aspects of the work. NAB: acquisition and analysis, drafted article, approved of and agreed to be accountable to all aspects of the work. SY: conception and design, critically revised article, approved of and agreed to be accountable to all aspects of the work. MFH: conception and design, critically revised article, approved of and agreed to be accountable to all aspects of the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew F. Halsey.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest or competing interests to disclose.

Ethics approval

This retrospective chart review study involving human participants was in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The Institutional Review Board at the Oregon Health and Science University approved this study.

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Zusman, N.L., Somogyi, R.D., Barney, N.A. et al. Adolescents with spondylolysis have lower SRS-22 scores than controls and peers with pre-operative idiopathic scoliosis. Spine Deform 9, 135–140 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00201-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00201-6

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