ScoliosisJournal reported recently about Adolescents, bracing and the results from an everyday clinic using Thermobrace.
Authors: Sabrina Donzelli, Fabio Zaina and Stefano Negrini
Background
The effectiveness of bracing relies on the quality of the brace, compliance of the
patient, and some disease factors. Patients and parents tend to overestimate adherence,
so an objective assessment of compliance has been developed through the use of heat
sensors. In 2010 we started the everyday clinical use of a temperature sensor, and
the aim of this study is to present our initial results.
Methods
Population: A prospective cohort of 68 scoliosis patients that finished at least 4
months of brace treatment on March 31, 2011: 48 at their first evaluation (79% females,
age 14.2+/-2.4) and 20 already in treatment. Treatment: Bracing (SPoRT concept); physiotherapic
specific exercises (SEAS School); team approach according to the SOSORT Bracing Management
Guidelines.
Methods
A heat sensor, "Thermobrace" (TB), has been validated and applied to the brace. The
real (measured by TB) and referred (reported by the patient) compliances were calculated.
Statistics. The distribution was not normal, hence median and 95% interval confidence
(IC95) and non-parametric tests had to be used.
Results
Average TB use: 5.5+/-1.5 months. Brace prescription was 23 hous/day (h/d) (IC95 18-23),
with a referred compliance of 100% (IC95 70.7-100%) and a real one of 91.7% (IC95
56.6-101.7%), corresponding to 20 h/d (IC95 11-23). The more the brace was prescribed,
the more compliant the patient was (94.8% in 23 h/d vs. 73.2% in 18 h/d, P<0 .05=".05" 0-12.95="0-12.95" 0="0" 1="1" 29="29" 45="45" 90="90" and="and" at="at" been="been" compliance="compliance" days="days" had="had" hour="hour" involved="involved" least="least" non-wearing="non-wearing" of="of" patients.="patients." patients="patients" percent="percent" prescribed.="prescribed." remained="remained" sixty="sixty" span="span" the="the" were="were" what="what" within="within">
Conclusion
This is the first study using a TB in a setting of respect for the SOSORT criteria
for bracing, and it states that it is possible to achieve a very good compliance,
even with a full time prescription, and better than what was previously reported (80%
maximum). We hypothesize that the treating team (SOSORT criteria) plays a major role
in our results. This study suggests that compliance is neither due to the type of
treatment only nor to the patient alone. According to our experience, TB offers valuable
insights and do not undermine the relationship with the patients.
Download the PDF version about the results of the Thermobrace
