文本框: SCOLIOSIS IN Β-THALASSEMIA: TEN-YEAR-FOLLOW-UP EVALUATION Papanastasiou DA1, Hellina A1, Pastromas B2 and Korovessis P3 Department of Pediatrics1 and Radiology2, Medical School of Patras University and Orthopedic Clinic of St Andreas Hospital3, Patras, Greece Objective: To determine the course of scoliosis in β-thalassemia and to compare the findings with those of patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Methods: Forty-three patients with β-thalassemia were reexamined clinically and radiologically (anteroposterior and lateral roentgenograms) 10 years after the initial examination for scoliosis. The patients -19 males and 24 females- had a mean age + SD of 22.7 + 5.5 years (range 14 to 39 years). Results: At the initial examination as well as at the follow-up examination 10 years later there were 9 patients without scoliosis and 34 (79%) with curves of at least 5o. Except for one patient with scoliosis of 85o at the second examination, curves in patients with scoliosis did not exceed 20o. Twelve (27.9%) patients had curves >10o, at the initial examination and 15 (34.9%) at the follow-up examination (p>0.3). “De novo” scoliosis of 10o or more evolved in 3 patients, curves of less than 10o progressed to curves of 10o or more in 4 patients, scoliosis of 10o or more resolved in one and improved in 3 patients. Degree and location did not differ significantly between initial and follow-up examination (t=1.02, p>0.31, x2=0.7, p>0.3, respectively). The ratio males: females at the initial and follow-up examination was 0.9 and 1.1, respectively. Conclusion: Scoliosis in β-thalassemia is a different entity than idiopathic scoliosis: It appears early in childhood1, affects equally males and females, curves do not usually exceed 20o and prognosis is good, in contrast to idiopathic scoliosis, because curvatures do not usually progress. (1Korovessis P et al: Spine 1996;21: 1798-1801 ). 1920