Is physical capacity correlated with health-related quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?

BACKGROUND There have been no report about the association between physical capacity and health-related quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic structural scoliosis (AIS). This study aims to investigate the correlation between dynamic cardiopulmonary capacity and quality of life in AIS patients. METHODS This retrospective study involved 63 patients. Correlations between cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters and Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 scores were evaluated using Spearman's correlation test. RESULTS Fifty-four female patients [mean age: 14.1 (range, 10-19) years] and 9 male patients [15.9 (range, 14-19) years] with AIS (Cobb angle: 28°-86°) were included. Significant correlations were found between the peak oxygen uptake normalized by body weight and the SRS-22 scores in female patients, as reflected by the function (r=0.511, P<0.001), pain (r=0.418, P=0.002), mental health (r=0.536, P<0.001) and subtotal (r=0.618, P<0.001) scores. Significant correlations were also found between oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold normalized by body weight and the SRS-22 scores in female patients, as reflected by the function (r=0.404, P=0.002), pain (r=0.455, P=0.001), and subtotal (r=0.501, P<0.001) scores, along with respiratory exchange ratio reflected by subtotal (r=0.464, P<0.001) score. CONCLUSIONS The physical capacity and capacity for the exercise intensity and endurance correlated with quality of life among patients with AIS. Exercise may better the quality of life of patients with AIS.