COMPARISON OF CURVE SHAPE BETWEEN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL-PALSY, FRIEDREICHS ATAXIA, AND ADOLESCENT IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS

Fourteen patients with cerebral palsy (CP), 12 with Friedreich's ataxi a (FA) and 26 with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) were studied to determine whether the shape of the scoliosis curve differs between these categories. The slope of the regression relationship between ver tebral rotation and lateral deviation was greater for the CP group com pared with the FA and AIS groups. The authors conclude that the scolio sis curve pattern of children with Friedreich's ataxia and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is similar. In contrast, the scoliosis curve of c hildren with CP was distinctly different, with more rotation of the ap ical vertebrae into the convexity of the scoliosis curve (transverse p lane deformity) in relation to the amount of lateral deviation of the apical vertebrae from the spinal axis (coronal plane deformity).