TY - JOUR
T1 - Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis screening: Could a school-based assessment protocol be useful for an early diagnosis?
AU - Scaturro, Dalila
AU - Sannasardo, Claudia Emilia
AU - Letizia Mauro, Giulia
AU - Costantino, Claudio
AU - Lauricella, Lorenza
AU - Terrana, Pietro
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - BACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis screening still needs a considerable implementation, particularly throughout a school-based assessment protocol. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical examinations currently in use for the diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, through a survey carried out in secondary schools to standardize a screening protocol that could be generalized. METHODS: In their classrooms, the adolescents underwent an idiopathic scoliosis screening through three examinations: Adam’s test, axial trunk rotation (ATR) and plumb line. In case of single positivity to one of the three examinations, a column X-ray examination was recommended. RESULTS: The sensitivity and diagnostic specificity of Adam’s test or ATR were 56.3% and 92.7%, respectively. The positivity to at least one between ATR or plumb line showed that sensitivity was higher than specificity: 91.3% versus 80.8%; the positivity to at least one between Adams’s test or plumb line showed a sensitivity of 95.2% and a specificity of 81.5%. Finally, the positivity to all three examinations showed an increase in specificity (99.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings show that this school-based screening protocol had a very high specificity in early diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
AB - BACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis screening still needs a considerable implementation, particularly throughout a school-based assessment protocol. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical examinations currently in use for the diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, through a survey carried out in secondary schools to standardize a screening protocol that could be generalized. METHODS: In their classrooms, the adolescents underwent an idiopathic scoliosis screening through three examinations: Adam’s test, axial trunk rotation (ATR) and plumb line. In case of single positivity to one of the three examinations, a column X-ray examination was recommended. RESULTS: The sensitivity and diagnostic specificity of Adam’s test or ATR were 56.3% and 92.7%, respectively. The positivity to at least one between ATR or plumb line showed that sensitivity was higher than specificity: 91.3% versus 80.8%; the positivity to at least one between Adams’s test or plumb line showed a sensitivity of 95.2% and a specificity of 81.5%. Finally, the positivity to all three examinations showed an increase in specificity (99.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings show that this school-based screening protocol had a very high specificity in early diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10447/485873
M3 - Article
JO - Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
JF - Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
SN - 1053-8127
ER -