Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis screening of schoolgirls

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a common disorder of unknown etiology. The lack of symptoms delays its detection, sometimes beyond the remedial range. In this study, consent forms were distributed to elementary schoolgirls between 11-13 years, at random, in the city of Riyadh. Out of 1,147 girls screened, 40 girls were positive on screening. In the clinic, nine girls were found to have no scoliosis, one had old poliomyelitis and one had lumbar lipoma. The remaining 29 girls had idiopathic scoliosis, giving a prevalence of 2.5%. However, the Cobb's angle were more than five degrees in nine girls only, reducing the prevalence of significant curves to 0.78%. The study was acceptable to all parties involved. We feel studies that address the issues of female screeners, transportation problems, and cost-effectiveness are needed prior to embarking on larger scale programs.