Should Sagittal Spinal Alignment Targets for Adult Spinal Deformity Correction Depend on Pelvic Incidence and Age?

Publication Title

Spine (Phila Pa 1976)

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-15-2020

Keywords

Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Databases, Factual; Female; Health Status; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Pelvic Bones; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Retrospective Studies; Spinal Diseases; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Determine whether deformity corrections should vary by pelvic incidence (PI).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Alignment targets for deformity correction have been reported for various radiographic parameters. The T1 pelvic-angle (TPA) has gained in applications for adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgical-planning since it directly measures spinal alignment separate from pelvic- and lower-extremity compensation. Recent studies have demonstrated that ASD corrections should be age specific.

METHODS: A prospective database of consecutive ASD patients was analyzed in conjunction with a normative spine database. Clinical measures of disability included the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Short Form 36 Survey (SF-36) Physical Component Score (PCS). Baseline relationships between TPA, age, PI, and ODI/SF-36 PCS scores were analyzed in the ASD and asymptomatic patients. Linear regression modeling was used to determine alignment targets based on PI and age-specific normative SF-36-PCS values.

RESULTS: Nine hundred three ASD patients (mean 53.7 yr) and 111 normative subjects (mean 50.7 yr) were included. Patients were subanalyzed by PI: low, medium, high (75); and age: elderly (>65 yr, n = 375), middle age (45-65 yr, n = 387), and young (18-45 yr, n = 141). TPA and SRS-Schwab parameters correlated with age and PI in ASD and normative subjects (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001). ODI correlated with PCS (r = 0.71, P < 0.0001). Linear regression analysis using age-normative SF-36-PCS values demonstrated that ideal spinopelvic alignment is less strict with increasing PI and age.

CONCLUSION: Targets for ASD correction should vary by age and PI. This is demonstrated in both asymptomatic and ASD subjects. Using age-normative SF-36 PCS values, alignment targets are described for different age and PI categories. High-PI patients do not require as rigorous realignments to attain age-specific normative levels of health status. As such, sagittal spinal alignment targets increase with increasing age as well as PI.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Area of Special Interest

Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Area of Special Interest

Neurosciences (Brain & Spine)

Specialty/Research Institute

Orthopedics

Specialty/Research Institute

Neurosciences

Specialty/Research Institute

Surgery

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