Research Paper: Comparing In-brace Correction, Compliance, and Quality of Life Between Milwaukee and Lyon Braces in Adolescents With Thoracic Hyperkyphosis

Background: The thoracic curve degree greater than 45° leads to thoracic hyperkyphosis, and common treatment is orthosis treatment. The acceptance rate of orthosis depends on in-brace correction, compliance and patient`s quality of life. Purpose: We aimed to determine the comparison between in-brace correction, compliance and quality of life in Milwaukee group with Lyon group Methods: In this case-evidential study, we retrospectively analyzed data for 23 adolescents who worn Milwaukee brace (n=15) and Lyon brace (n=8). In brace correction was assessed by the comparison between Cobb angle before wearing brace and two months after wearing. Compliance was determined by the percentage of actual hours worn in accordance with the prescribed regimen. Quality of life profile for spine deformity questionnaire is used which shows the quality of life in spinal deformity and mental/psychological functions. Data normality was assessed by K-S. Other sampling methods, moreover, included T tests (pair T-test, in depended T-test). Results: We recruited 23 individuals with thoracic hyper kyphosis with 55 and 75 degree and aged between 10-17 years old. They were divided into two groups [Milwaukee group (n=15), mean age: 14 years old, and mean first Cobb angle: 67.9 degree, and Lyon group (n=8), mean age: 13.75 years old, and mean first Cobb angle: 61.7 degree). No significant differences are found between in-brace correction of two groups (P=0.073), while the compliance of participants who wore Lyon brace is better, and findings depicted significant differences between quality of life (P=0.018), and quality of life was improved for Lyon groups. Conclusion: The finding indicates that the Lyon brace had less detrimental impacts on quality of life in comparison with the Milwaukee ones, take this into account, the compliance rate illuminates that Lyon brace is far more preferred, but surprisingly identical in-brace correction is achieved by both braces. Therefore, consideration and integration of significant factors in the treatment plane are capable to revolutionize the outcome correction.