First end-result of a prospective cohort with AIS treated with a CAD Chêneau style brace.
Hans-Rudolf Weiss, Deborah Turnbull, Sarah Seibel and 1 others
PMID 32038069WHAT IT FOUND
In 28 girls weaned from a Gensingen brace, 92.9% avoided curves reaching 50°, compared with 72% in a published Boston-brace cohort.
This is an external comparison, not proof the brace alone caused the result.
Key findings
01In the end-result cohort, 28 patients were followed after weaning from the Gensingen brace, and 2 reached or exceeded 50°, giving a success rate of 92.9%.
02The success rate was 92.9% in the end-result cohort versus 72% in the BRAIST Boston-brace cohort, with p=0.01 in the Z-test.
03Average in-brace correction was 51.4%, and average reported brace wearing time was 20.3 hours per day.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The end-result analysis was small, so the success estimate is imprecise. The comparison was with a published external Boston-brace cohort, not a concurrent randomised control, so patient mix, brace design, orthotist skill, compliance, and reporting differences may affect the result. The study was a retrospective chart review of a prospective cohort. Brace wearing time was reported by patients and parents, while the control study used electronic compliance, so wearing time may be overestimated. Details of the control braces were limited, and in-brace correction was not reported for the control group. The main outcome was Cobb angle, which may not capture cosmetic or functional concerns. Authors declared financial ties to brace-related companies, which may influence interpretation.
Declared interests
One author, HRW, received financial support for attending symposia and royalties from Koob GmbH & Co KG; the company is held by the spouse of HR Weiss. Another author, DT, is employed by The London Orthotic Consultancy Ltd, an orthotic company that manufactures and supplies brace and orthotic products. The other authors report no competing interest. The paper does not report a funding source for the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 92.9% versus 72% comparison as proof that the Gensingen brace is better than the Boston brace. The control group was a published external cohort, not a concurrent randomised comparison, and patient selection, brace wearing time, orthotist experience, and reporting differences may explain the result.