Spinal Deformity Index and Quality of Life of Patients With a Densitometric Diagnosis of Osteoporosis

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the existence of a possible significant correlation between the quality of life of outpatients with osteoporosis and the Spinal Deformity Index (SDI), a radiographic method for semiquantitative assessment of the spine that enables the identification of prevalent and incident fractures. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study carried out with female patients, Caucasians, over 50 years of age, with a densitometric diagnosis of osteoporosis and in an outpatient follow-up, who were submitted to the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and SF-36 questionnaires to measure the direct and indirect damage of vertebral fragility fractures on quality of life. The scores obtained in these questionnaires were correlated with the SDI scores, calculated from the radiographs of the lumbar and thoracic spine. Results: 48 patients completed the study, with a mean age of 69.6±6.7 years, mean body mass index (BMI) of 25.4±3.4 kg/m2, mean ODI of 25.1±17.9%, mean SF- 36 of 428.7±192.4 and mean SDI of 4.3±3. For the statistical analysis, Spearman's coefficient was used (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: There is no statistically significant correlation between the SDI and the scores obtained on the ODI and SF-36 quality of life questionnaires. Level of evidence: III. Study of non-consecutive patients, without gold standard, applied uniformly.