How 'idiopathic' is adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? A systematic review on associated abnormalities.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite more than a century of dedicated research, the etiology and pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remain unclear. By definition, 'idiopathic' implies an unknown cause. Nevertheless, many abnormalities concomitant to AIS have been described, often with the suggestion that these abnormalities are related to etio-pathogenesis. Insight in the concomitant abnormalities may assist in improving the understanding of the etiological pathways of AIS. We aimed to systematically review and synthesize available studies on abnormalities concomitant to AIS.

Methods

Original studies comparing untreated AIS patients with healthy adolescents on abnormalities other than the deformity of the spine were retrieved from PubMed and Embase. We followed PRISMA guide

SUBMITTER: Schlosser TP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4018432 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature