A retrospective analysis of 190 patients with scoliosis referred to a private Australian clinical advisory service between 2017 and 2020

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with scoliosis from Australian primary care practices.

Methods: A retrospective review of 190 patient records from August 2017 to April 2020 from a private Australian clinical advisory service database was performed. Deidentified demographic and clinical data were collated and analyzed, along with information regarding the referring practitioners and any accompanying clinical or paraclinical information. Numerical data were summarized with median and IQR, while categorical data were summarized with counts and percentages. Salient qualitative data from the advisory service records were also collated, coded, and summarized.

Results: Patients were aged between 3 and 87 years; the majority (71%) of patients were female, with a median age of 16 years (IQR, 13; range, 3-87 years). The most common type of spinal deformity seen in the sample was scoliosis (92%), with hyperkyphosis (7%) and other deformity (1%) making up the remaining cases. There was a wide variety of scoliosis presentations; however, curves were commonly (45%) located in the thoracic region of the spine. Observed scoliosis cases were of moderate severity with a median Cobb angle measuring 26.5° (IQR, 20°). Reports of pain were in the lower trunk/pelvis (46%), the middle trunk (16%), or throughout multiple bodily regions (27%). Alterations in normal spinal anatomy (eg, hemivertebrae) were common (55% of cases). The majority (86%) of patient cases came from chiropractors, whereas 9% were from osteopaths, 4% from physiotherapists, and 1% from other types of practitioners (eg, medical practitioners).

Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that patients presenting to practitioners in primary care settings in Australia present with a range of scoliosis and related spinal deformity presentations.