Age-of-Cessation of Lumbar Lordosis Development as an Assessment Parameter

BACKGROUND: In managing paediatric spinal deformities, the currently-in-use growth maturity assessment parameters (clinical or radiological) are based mostly on Caucasian populations. They may be adequate for general treatment planning but may not accurately predict the remaining growth potential. Some therapies (e.g. growing rod distractions or growth modulation surgeries) require more accurate predictions of remaining growth potential and race-specific values. Lumbar lordosis (LL) development ceases at spinal bone maturity. The age-of-cessation seems a more accurate predictor of remaining spinal bone growth potential, compared to currently-in-use growth maturity assessment parameters, but is rarely included in the growth maturity assessment parameters. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: As a predictor of remaining spinal growth potential, age-of-cessation of LL development (Race-specific of Black populations) was quantified. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In archival normal lateral lumbosacral radiographs of patients of a tertiary hospital in South-East Nigeria, LL development across five age groups (Birth– 9, 10–15, 16–20, 21–25 and 26–30 years) was quantified with lumbosacral joint angle (LSJA) in 215 (110 males, 105 females), and lumbosacral angle (LSA) in 238 (119 males, 119 females). Data were analysed with IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 (NY, USA). P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Both LSJA and LSA age groups’ mean values progressively increased with age, and plateaued at 21–25 years range, with LSJA mean of 23.4 ± 1.3 years, and LSA mean 23.5 ± 1.3 years; the means difference was insignificant (P = 0.680). CONCLUSION: With ageing, there is progressive increment, and later, cessation of LL. Age-of-cessation indirectly infers spinal-maturity-age, and could indirectly be an assessment parameter of spinal-maturity-status.