Scoliosis assessment in Friedreich's ataxia by means of intrinsic parameters.

Spinal deformities have been evaluated in a five year retrospective study where 28 boys and 25 girls all having Friedreich's ataxia were on the average assessed once a year in a multidisciplinary clinic. Scoliosis seems somewhat more progressive in girls than in boys and more severe in non-ambulatory than ambulatory patients. Some of those scolioses are very progressive reaching 60 degrees to 100 degrees Cobb angle values requiring spinal surgery while other progress less rapidly and do well on their own. In addition it was shown that the intrinsic geometric spine curve parameters namely that of curvature and torsion are a powerful diagnostic tool in the assessment of evolutive scoliosis.