A correlation analysis between clinical parameters and radiculopathy symptoms of adult degenerative scoliosis

SUN Xiang-yao; ZHANG Xi-nuo; HAI Yong

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-252X.2017.06.009

Abstract：Objective To retrospectively analyze the correlation between clinical parameters and radiculopathy symptoms in the patients with adult degenerative scoliosis ( ADS ). Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on the ADS patients adopted from January 2010 to January 2014 in our hospital. The study data included age, gender, Scoliosis Research Society questionnaire-30 ( SRS-30 ), Oswestry disability index ( ODI ), Cobb's angles on supine and upright radiographs and incidence of radiculopathy symptoms. Normally distributed values were compared using F test, while values with skew distribution were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test. Noncontiguous data were presented as percentage and statistical significance was performed by χ2 test. The correlation between variables was analyzed by Logistic regression. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results A total of 80 patients met the inclusion criteria, whose mean age was ( 59.4 ± 9.2 ) years. There were 32 males and 48 females, and the mean follow-up duration was ( 3.3 ± 0.8 ) years. Twenty-seven of those patients presented with radicular pain. Older age was more likely to be associated with radicular pain, movement disorders and sensory deficits. The patients equal to or older than 55 years were roughly 0.86 times more likely to have radicular pain [ OR = 0.86, 95% CI ( 0.56, 1.07 ), P < 0.001 ], 0.91 times more likely to have movement disorders [ OR = 0.91, 95% CI ( 0.56, 1.07 ), P < 0.001 ], and 0.782 times more likely to have sensory deficits [ OR = 0.782, 95% CI ( 0.421, 1.034 ), P < 0.001 ] than those younger than 55 years. More caudally located nerve roots were more likely to develop radicular pain ( P < 0.001 ). Movement disorders were associated with SRS-30 pain score ( P = 0.007 ) and function score ( P = 0.009 ). There was no significant relationship between supine thoracolumbar Cobb's angle or upright thoracolumbar Cobb's angle and radicular pain or sensory deficits ( P > 0.05 ). There was no between-group difference in other variations. Conclusions Radiculopathy symptoms are more likely to be observed in proximal thoracolumbar nerve roots than distal thoracolumbar nerve roots in ADS patients. Coronal Cobb's angle may not be an optimal parameter to speculate the severity of radiculopathy symptoms. There is a significant relationship between age and radiculopathy symptoms. The age of more than 55 years may be a risk factor for radiculopathy symptoms. There is no significant correlation between ODI and radiculopathy symptoms. There are significant correlations among radiculopathy symptoms. Movement disorders may have more influence on SRS-30 pain score and function score.