Early Adherence to Prescribed Brace Wear for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Is Associated With Future Brace Wear

Study Design.Retrospective cohort study. Objective.To assess if initial adherence to prescribed brace wear for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) predicts future adherence and curve improvement. Summary of Background Data.AIS bracing can be effective if patients adhere to prescribed brace wear. Previous research has associated age, sex, and brace prescription length with future adherence. We hypothesize that a patient's initial adherence to brace wear may be associated with future adherence and outcomes. Materials and Methods.Consecutive AIS patients who met the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) criteria for bracing from 2015 to 2019 at a single center were reviewed. Patients were stratified into groups based on their adherence during the initial one-month brace wean-in period-adherent patients were defined as wearing the brace >80% of the daily prescribed amount. Brace wear was recorded by a thermosensor and assessed during the wean-in period, six-, 12-, and 24-month postbracing appointments. Statistical testing was conducted to analyze if initial adherence was associated with future adherence, curve change, and bracing success-defined as reaching Risser stage 4 with a Cobb angle Results.Sixty patients (mean age=12.5 yr) were included, of which the majority were females (83%) with thoracic curves (70%). Thirty-two patients were considered adherent, and this cohort demonstrated improved adherence relative to the nonadherent group at the six-, 12-, and 24-month appointments (P<0.001). Adherent patients also showed a significant reduction in their scoliosis at the 12-month appointment, unlike nonadherent patients (P<0.001). Ninety-seven percent of adherent patients achieved bracing success compared with 71% of nonadherent (P=0.016). Females were more likely to be adherent than males. Conclusions.Initial adherence to prescribed AIS brace wear was associated with future adherence, bracing success, and curve improvement. Early recognition of nonadherence may offer an opportunity for supportive intervention to improve brace wear behavior.