Bone Abstracts

Background: Body composition changes during the developmental period and differs in children with idiopathic scoliosis (IS). No large-scale study has been performed to reveal the link between scoliotic deformity and body composition assessed by bioimpedance method (BIA). The study objective was to correlate the extent of scoliotic-curve severity with nutritional status of patients with IS based on standard anthropometrical analysis and BIA.

Material and methods: 279 patients (224 girls/55 boys) in mean age of 14.21±2.75 years, with IS were qualified into the study. Scoliotic curve was assessed by Cobb angle and angle vertebra rotation (AVR). Curve severity was categorized into a mild (10–19°), a moderate (20–39°) and a severe group (≥40°) based on Cobb’s angle. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences were measured and BMI, BMI Z-score, waist:height ratio (WHtR) and waist:hip ratio (WHR) were calculated in the entire group. Body composition parameters as: fat mass (FAT), fat-free mass (FMM), predicted muscle mass (PMM) and total body water (TBW) were evaluated using bioelectrical impedance analyzer.

Results: Mean Cobb angle of the mild, moderate and severe groups were 13.69±2.95°, 26.74±5.67° and 52.36±12.43° respectively. Cobb’s angle and AVR were positively correlated (P<0.01) with FAT% and BMI, but inversely (P<0.01) with FFM, TBW and PMM% in the study group. Subgroups analysis revealed the same relationship only in the group of severe spinal deformity, also for BMI Z-score and WHtR. Body fatness expressed as FAT% was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the severe vs mild group, but FFM, TBW and PMM% were significantly (P<0.05) lower.

Conclusions: i) Body composition parameters assessed by BIA are associated with scoliotic curve severity, mainly in severe spinal deformity patients. ii) Fatness degree (FAT% and BMI Z-score) and fat tissue distribution (WHtR) seems to have significant relation with clinical grade of IS.