[Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis among girls in the Herning region. A follow-up of girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis found in an earlier screening at school].

A nine year follow-up study of 76 females was carried out to investigate the spontaneous course of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The subjects were selected in an earlier epidemiological investigation by a screening (forward bending test and Moiré topography) of 989 girls aged 10-17 years. A prevalence of 7.7% was found (76 girls). Four scolioses progressed to treatment (0.4%). Of the rest (72 girls) forty girls (55.6%) participated fully in the follow-up investigation involving clinical examination, Moiré topography and X-ray examination. Of these 22.5% had thoracic, 37.5% had thoracolumbar and 40.0% had lumbar curve. The median size of the Cobb-angles was initially 10.1 (5-31) and at follow-up 8.5 degrees (0-30). A progression of more than four degrees was seen in 12.5%. The rest were unchanged or showed regression. None of the subjects needed treatment at any time. We found no indicators for the different spontaneous courses in untreated mild idiopathic scoliosis. Neither topography of the scoliosis, initial curve size nor age at the investigation-start showed corellation with curve behavior.