Table 3.

Patient, curve, and bracing characteristics by surgical intervention group

	Surgical intervention (n = 61)		Conservative management (n = 30)
Presentation characteristics	Freq.	(%)	Freq.	(%)	p
Age at presentation (years; mean ± SD)	7.5	± 1.3	7.8	± 1.7	0.49
Sex (% female)	4	(7%)	4	(13%)	0.29
BMI percentile (mean ± SD)	57.6	± 30.3	56.8	± 28.2	0.90
Comorbidity (at least 1)	29	(48%)	6	(20%)	0.01

	Mean	± SD	Mean	± SD	p
Initial curves
Proximal thoracic (°)	15.6	± 7.3	10.9	± 6.9	0.009
Mid-thoracic (°)	30.1	± 10.9	24.1	± 6.9	0.02
Thoracolumbar / lumbar (°)	21.2	± 9.8	18.8	± 5.9	0.23
Maximum curve magnitude (°)	31.8	± 9.5	26.2	± 5.0	0.008
Maximum curve type (freq. (%))					0.41
Proximal thoracic	1	(2%)	1	(3%)
Mid-thoracic	46	(75%)	21	(70%)
Thoracolumbar / lumbar	8	(13%)	6	(20%)
Maximal curve ≥ 30°	26	(47%)	4	(14%)	0.005
RVAD	8.5	± 7.8	8.8	± 8.8	0.88
Bracing characteristics
Age at brace initiation (years; median(IQR))	7.8	± 1.44	8.2	± 1.3	0.21
Number braces (median (IQR))	3	(2–4)	2	2–3	0.45
Non-compliant	45	(74%)	8	(27%)	< 0.001
Brace-wear hours (median (IQR))	18	(18–20)	18	15–18	0.17
Bracing duration (years; mean ± SD)	4.7	1.93	4.5	2.0	0.67
Maximal curve magnitude in-brace (°)	17.2	± 8.2	12.4	± 5.4	0.009
Percent in-brace correction	55.3	± 23.8	64.4	± 23.6	0.11