Study of the link between ligament laxity and the occurrence of idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents

Background: The objective of our study is to investigate the relationship between ligament hyperlaxity and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) within other risk factors. Materials and Methods: We conducted a matched case–control study in adolescents aged 9–15 years. We matched the age and sex of adolescents with AIS to their healthy controls. The AIS is defined by a Cobb angle of 10° and the ligament hyperlaxity is defined by a Beighton score ≥4. The two parameters were identified blindly. Other risk factors for AIS were analyzed. The multivariate analysis by simple logistic regression was carried out. Results: We analyzed 430 adolescents, among them 215 subjects with AIS were paired with 215 healthy controls. The sex ratio (female/male) is 1.46. Scoliotics showed a significantly higher rate of joint hyperlaxity than controls, P < 0.003 (61.4% vs. 46.5%) with an odds ratio (Orb) of 1.83 confidence interval (CI) (1.25–2.68). The multivariate analysis by logistic regression revealed three predictors of AIS which are ligament hyperlaxity ORa = 1.82 CI (1.23–2.69) P < 0.003, the existence of similar cases in the ORa family = 1.94 (1.24–3.03) P < 0.002 and a trunk growth spurt ≥4 cm/6 months ORa = 1.62 (1.09–2.4) P < 0.02. Conclusion: There is a potential relationship between ligament hyperlaxity and the occurrence of idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents. Two other predictors were detected, similar cases of scoliosis in the family and the trunk growth spurt.