Concentration of selected regulators of calcium-phosphate balance in girls with idiopathic scoliosis.

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic scoliosis is one of the most frequent spinal deformities diagnosed by orthopaedists. Our knowledge about the epidemiology and aetiology of this disease is still not broad enough. This paper analyses yet another factor that may influence the onset and progress of scoliosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study involved 109 girls, including 50 girls aged between 11 and 14 years with idiopathic scoliosis (Group A), and 59 healthy girls of the same age (Group B). The average degree of the curvature on the day of the examination was 310110 (min.=100, max.=600). The curvature was measured according to Cobb's method. There were 45 pre-menarche and 64 post-menarche girls in the group.

RESULTS

Oestradiol levels in healthy girls were significantly higher than in girls with idiopathic scoliosis. There were significant differences between the healthy and scoliotic girls. Parathormone levels were also significantly higher in healthy girls than in scoliotic ones of the same age. Analyses showed statistically significant differences. The analysis of the calcium ion concentration did not show statistically significant differences between the groups of healthy and scoliotic girls.

CONCLUSION

Basing on the results we found that girls with diagnosed idiopathic scoliosis had lower oestradiol levels compared to their healthy counterparts. Similar data were obtained for parathormone. These disorders of hormone secretion result in a metabolic system similar to that observed in postmenopausal women, in whom there is active destruction of bone tissue.