Impact of COVID-19 on the pain and disability of patients with adult spinal deformity

PURPOSE: To evaluate the pain and functional effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with ASD reflected by their response to SRS-22, ODI, and SF-36 questionnaires. METHODS: Patients who had stable pain and functional outcome scores over the preceding 2 years were enrolled in a local prospectively collected adult spinal deformity (ASD) database. A reanalysis of their SRS22, ODI and SF-36 data 14 days into confinement were compared to their last pre-confinement scores. RESULTS: 89 patients were included in this study (average age 60.7 years, 91% female) with an average time from last FU until confinement of 9.6 months. The ODI total score worsened by 5 points post-confinement with no difference seen in personal care, walking and social life. In contrast, the SRS-22 score showed small improvements in function/activity and satisfaction, but no significant differences for the other domains. Similarly, the SF-36 showed small improvements in physical function, physical and emotional role, vitality and PCS. CONCLUSION: The global COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing confinement had variable overall effects on ASD patients, without the expected marked worsening. In addition, this study illustrates that the SRS-22 questionnaire is less influenced by environmental and psychological factors than the ODI supporting its objectivity and accuracy in the evaluation of the QoL of ASD patients.