Correlation between severity of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and pulmonary artery systolic pressure: a study of 338 patients

Pulmonary function in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: an explorative study of a wearable smart shirt as a measurement instrument

PURPOSE

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) presents various challenges, including respiratory symptoms that impact pulmonary function. This study aims to explore the feasibility of using a smart shirt for continuous monitoring of lung volumes and heart rate during routine activities in AIS patients.

METHODS

A single-center exploratory feasibility study was conducted with AIS patients aged 16-22 years with a thoracic curvature of ≥ 30 degrees and absence of respiratory comorbidities. A smart shirt was utilized to continuously monitor cardiopulmonary parameters during mild exercise, which included a standardized walking route with the ascent of multiple stairs.

RESULTS

Five participants completed the study. Baseline spirometry measurements showed a range of values for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC ratio. During mild exercise, participants exhibited variability in tidal volume, heart rate, breathing rate, and minute ventilation, with increases observed during stair climbing. Breathlessness levels also varied throughout the activity but did not correlate with the measured lung volumes. Overall, the use of the smart shirt for assessing pulmonary function in AIS patients was deemed feasible and well tolerated by participants during the test activities.

CONCLUSION

The study confirms the feasibility of using a smart shirt for continuous measurement of cardiopulmonary parameters in AIS patients during daily activities. Incongruities between spirometry results and perceived dyspnea exists, which questions the nature of the perceived dyspnea. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the impact of AIS characteristics on measurement accuracy.

Effectiveness of Halo-Pelvic Traction and Thoracoplasty for Pulmonary Artery Pressure and Cardiopulmonary Function in Patients With Severe Spinal Deformity

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of halo-pelvic traction and thoracoplasty for pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and cardiopulmonary function in patients with severe spinal deformity.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The effect of severe spinal deformity on pulmonary arterial hypertension, cardiac structure, and function has received little attention before.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 21 patients with severe spinal deformity were included in our study; all patients were examined by echocardiography and pulmonary function test before and after treatment. The correlations between PAP and pulmonary function were examined using Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTS

The PAP decreased from 58.67 ± 20.24 to 39.00 ± 12.51 mm Hg, and the PAP of 42.86% of the patients returned to normal after treatment. Right cardiac enlargement, left ventricular diastolic function, and pulmonary function were improved at the same time. The ratio of left ventricular to right ventricular diameter returned to normal. Moderate correlations (correlation coefficient: -0.513 to -0.559) between PAP and forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in the first second were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary arterial hypertension, ventricular diastolic function, and pulmonary function were improved after halo-pelvic traction and thoracoplasty. A moderate negative correlation was identified between PAP and pulmonary function: the more pulmonary function improved, the more PAP decreased.

Incidence of cardiac anomalies in congenital vertebral deformity: systematic review and meta-analysis of 2910 patients

PURPOSE

This study aimed to analyze the overall incidence of cardiac abnormalities in patients with congenital scoliosis and the possible influencing factors.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. The quality of the studies was assessed independently by two authors using the methodological index for nonrandomized studies (MINORS) criteria. The following data were extracted from the included studies: bibliometric data, number of patients, number of patients with cardiac anomalies, gender, types of deformity, diagnostic method, type of cardiac anomaly, location, and other associated anomalies. The Review Manager 5.4 software was used to group and analyze all the extracted data.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included nine studies and identified that 487 of 2,910 patients with congenital vertebral deformity had cardiac anomalies diagnosed by ultrasound (21.05%, 95% CI of 16.85-25.25%). The mitral valve prolapse was the most frequent cardiac anomaly (48.45%) followed by an unspecified valvular anomaly (39.81) and an atrial septal defect (29.98). A diagnosis of cardiac anomalies was highest in Europe (28.93%), followed by USA (27.21%) and China (15.33%). Females and formation defects were factors significantly associated with increased incidence of cardiac anomalies: 57.37%, 95% CI of 50.48-64.27% and 40.76%, 95% CI of 28.63-52.89%, respectively. Finally, 27.11% presented associated intramedullary anomalies.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis revealed that the overall incidence of cardiac abnormalities detected in patients with congenital vertebral deformity was 22.56%. The incidence rate of cardiac anomalies was higher in females and those with formation defects. The study offers guidance for ultrasound practitioners to accurately identify and diagnose the most common cardiac anomalies.

Pulmonary Edema After Intracranial Aneurysm Clipping in Kyphosis: A Case Report

Introduction

A 56-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital for "10+days of right eye droop and 1 day of aggravation". After admission, the physical examination found that the patient had severe scoliosis. 3D reconstruction and enhanced CT scan of the head vessels showed that the right internal carotid artery C6 aneurysms were clipped under general anesthesia. After the operation, the patient had increased airway pressure, with a large number of pink foam sputum attracted from the trachea catheter, and the lungs were scattered with moist rales during auscultation, After the treatment of anti-heart failure, the patient returned to the ICU through the trachea catheter. Eight hours later, the trachea catheter was pulled out and the patient was released from the ventilator. The symptoms were relieved on the fifth day after the operation. This case report describes the perioperative management of intracranial aneurysm with severe scoliosis. After strict monitoring and timely treatment during the perioperative period, the patient turned from crisis to safety, providing some reference for colleagues who encounter such patients in the future.

Conclusion

In patients with scoliosis, due to long-term compression of the thorax, pulmonary restrictive ventilation dysfunction, small airway function and diffusion function are reduced, and cardiac function is decreased. Therefore, during the operation of intracranial aneurysms, fluid infusion should be careful, and volume monitoring should be done at all times to maintain the effective circulating blood volume of the body and prevent the aggravation of cardiac insufficiency and pulmonary edema.

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Application of IS in Perioperative Pulmonary Function Training in Spine and Orthopedics

Background

The incentive spirometer (IS) is a mechanical device that promotes lung expansion and can be used to prevent and treat postoperative pulmonary complications. In this study, the preventive effect of pulmonary function training with IS on the improvement of pulmonary function and pulmonary complications was observed.

Methods

From May 2019 to April 2021, 69 scoliosis patients with impaired moderate and severe lung function were divided into the traditional pulmonary training group (n = 32) and IS-enhanced pulmonary training group (n = 35). The patient underwent lung function testing after admission and one week after the start of training and chest CT on the third day after surgery.

Results

The average age was 13.47 and 15.66, respectively (p = 0.223). The Cobb angles were 83.84 and 83.97 (p = 0.756), respectively, and no statistical difference between the parameters of lung function was detected. After 1 week of respiratory function training, significant improvement in lung function testing parameters including VC%, FVC%, FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, FEV1/VC, and MVV% was found in both groups. Analysis of covariance showed more significant improvement in IS-enhanced group compared to the conventional training group (p < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative pulmonary atelectasis was lower in IS-enhanced group than in traditional groups (2.9% vs. 21.9%, p = 0.043) with no difference in the overall incidence of pulmonary complications (p = 0.164) and shorter preoperative and total hospitalization in the IS-enhanced group.

Conclusion

Compared to traditional pulmonary function training, IS-enhanced training can significantly accelerate the improvement of pulmonary function testing parameters, shorten the preoperative pulmonary function training time, reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary tension complications, and accelerate postoperative rehabilitation.

Scoliosis Surgery Normalizes Cardiac Function in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients

STUDY DESIGN

Single-center retrospective chart review with minimum 2-year follow up.

OBJECTIVE

To determine incidence of pulmonary hypertension in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients and to determine the effect of scoliosis surgery on pulmonary hypertension.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Spinal deformity in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis can increase right atrial and ventricular pressures secondary to restrictive lung disease. Pulmonary hypertension leading to cor pulmonale is the most feared outcome, however mild pulmonary hypertension in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients has been reported. No study has previously examined changes in the improvement of right heart function following scoliosis surgery.

METHODS

Cobb angle, 2D-echo signs of structural heart disease, aortic root dimensions, tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity (TRV), pulmonary function tests (PFTs), arterial blood gas (ABG), and patient demographics reviewed. Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) estimated using Bernoulli equation (4[TRV]2) and right atrial pressure. RVSP ≥36 mmHg is a surrogate marker for pulmonary hypertension. All echocardiograms were read by board certified Pediatric Cardiologists. Logistic regression used to assess for differences in TRV between groups.

RESULTS

Mean preoperative RVSP was significantly elevated in AIS patients (26.9 ± 0.49; P < 0.001) compared with controls (17.25 + 0.88). Only 47 (21%) Group 1 patients had elevated preoperative TRV (≥2.8 m/s) versus none in Group 2 (P < 0.001). Additionally, logistic regression showed AIS patients have odds ratio of 3.29 for elevated TRV (P = 0.007)-an indirect measure of pulmonary hypertension. In all Group 3 patients, the cardiac function normalized postoperatively (mean TRV = 2.09 + 0.23; P < 0.001). No association found between Cobb angle, aortic root parameters, or pulmonary function tests.

CONCLUSION

This study found 13.9% of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis had elevated TRV while controls had no TRV abnormalities. Additionally, RVSP measurements demonstrated mild pulmonary hypertension in AIS patients. These abnormal values normalized postoperatively, indicating the benefits of scoliosis surgery on cardiac function in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.Level of Evidence: 3.

Rapid Improvement of Severe Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Scoliosis-related Restrictive Ventilatory Disorder

Few reports have highlighted the serial changes in pulmonary hypertension during respiratory management. An 18-year-old girl with severe scoliosis was referred to our hospital for worsening dyspnea on exertion. Based on chest X-ray and transthoracic echocardiography findings showing a tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient (TRPG) of 64 mmHg, the patient was diagnosed with severe alveolar hypoventilation due to thoracic deformity and severe pulmonary hypertension. Her oxygenation improved rapidly under noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, although partial pressure of carbon dioxide remained >80 Torr. Transthoracic echocardiography on day 7 showed clinically significant and rapid improvement of pulmonary hypertension with a TRPG of 30 mmHg.

Growing-rod implantation improves nutrition status of early-onset scoliosis patients: a case series study of minimum 3-year follow-up

BACKGROUND

Early onset scoliosis (EOS) may cause malnutrition in affected patients. Growing-rod treatment has been an effective protocol for treating EOS. The objective of this study is to demonstrate whether growing-rod treatment improves nutritional status of EOS patients.

METHODS

Fifty-two EOS patients who had dual growing-rod surgery was enrolled. The minimum follow-up was 3-years. Their body weights were normalized based on the data of two National Population Census of China. Z-scores were used to indicate the standard deviation from the median body weight-for-age.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 6 years. Preoperatively, the prevalence of malnutrition (Z < - 2) was 21.2%, and reduced to 9.6% at the end of the follow-up. Preoperatively, the average Z-score was - 0.94, and it increased to - 0.65 at the latest follow-up (p < 0.05). Patients with preoperative Z-score below - 1 had more significant increase of Z-scores (- 2.15 vs - 1.26, p < 0.001). A significant negative correlation between the change of Z-score and the preoperative Z-score (correlation coefficient - 0.65, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The growing rod surgery and lengthening procedures significantly improves the nutrition status of EOS patients. The body weight gains are more significant in patients with lower body weights.

The radiographic, pulmonary, and clinical outcomes of patients with severe rigid spinal deformities treated via halo-pelvic traction

Background

The severe rigid deformity patients with pulmonary dysfunction could not tolerate complicated corrective surgery. Preoperative traction are used to reduce the curve magnitude and improve the pulmonary function before surgery, including halo-gravity traction (HGT) and halo-pelvic traction (HPT). The present study aimed to retrospectively compare the radiographic, pulmonary and clinical outcomes of preoperative HGT and HPT in severe rigid spinal deformity with respiratory dysfunction.

Methods

81 cases of severe rigid kyphoscoliosis treated with preoperative traction prior to corrective surgery for spinal deformity between 2016 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Two patient groups were compared, HPT group (N = 30) and HGT group (N = 51). Patient demographics, coronal and sagittal Cobb angles and correction rates, pulmonary function, traction time, osteotomy grade, and postoperative neurological complications were recorded for all cases.

Results

The coronal Cobb angle was corrected from 140.67 ± 2.63 to a mean of 120.17 ± 2.93° in the HGT group, and from 132.32 ± 4.96 to 87.59 ± 3.01° in the HPT group (mean corrections 15.33 ± 1.53 vs. 34.86 ± 3.11 %) (P = 0.001). The mean major sagittal curve decreased from 134.28 ± 3.77 to 113.03 ± 4.57° in the HGT group and from 129.60 ± 8.45 to 65.61 ± 7.86° in the HPT group (P < 0.001); the mean percentage corrections were 16.50 ± 2.13 and 44.09 ± 9.78 % (P < 0.001). A significant difference in the pulmonary function test results was apparent between the two groups; the mean improvements in the FVC% of the HGT and HPT groups were 6.76 ± 1.85 and 15.6 ± 3.47 % (P = 0.024). The HPT group tended to exhibit more FEV% improvement than the HGT group, but the difference was not significant (5.15 ± 2.27 vs. 11.76 ± 2.22 %, P = 0.91).

Conclusions

Patients with severe rigid kyphoscoliosis who underwent preoperative HPT exhibited better radiographic correction of the deformity, and pulmonary function, and required fewer osteotomies compared to the HGT group. Thus, HPT may be useful for severe rigid spinal deformity patients with pulmonary dysfunction.

Cardiopulmonary Function in Patients with Congenital Scoliosis: An Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Patients with congenital scoliosis often have restrictive pulmonary dysfunction on static pulmonary function testing (PFT). Although frequently asymptomatic during daily activities, these patients are generally assumed to have reduced exercise capacity. The aim of this study was to use dynamic cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to investigate exercise capacity and its association with spinal deformity in patients with congenital scoliosis.

METHODS

Sixty patients with congenital scoliosis who underwent preoperative spinal radiography, PFT, and CPET were included from January 2014 to November 2017. The impact of thoracic spinal deformity and rib anomalies on pulmonary function and physical capacity was investigated.

RESULTS

A significant deterioration in pulmonary function with increases in the severity of the major thoracic curve was demonstrated by the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and total lung capacity (all p < 0.001). The ratio of FEV1 to FVC was similar regardless of thoracic curve severity. A smaller tidal volume during exercise testing reflected restrictive dysfunction in the patients with the most severe curves. CPET also revealed a significant trend of faster breathing by patients with a severe thoracic curve (p < 0.001). Exercise capacity indicators such as work rate (p = 0.019), heart rate (p = 0.015), and oxygen saturation (p = 0.006) were significantly reduced only in patients with a thoracic curve of >100°. Pulmonary dysfunction was the major contributor to exercise intolerance. Compared with mild pulmonary dysfunction, moderate and severe dysfunction was associated with an abnormal breathing pattern and lower work rate (p = 0.032) and peak oxygen intake (p = 0.042), indicating worse exercise tolerance.

CONCLUSIONS

Congenital scoliosis leads to restrictive pulmonary dysfunction, which reduces the tidal volume and forces patients to accelerate respiratory rates during exercise. Patients with a thoracic curve of >100° are unable to compensate and have significantly reduced exercise capacity.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.