Ultrasonographic measurement of diaphragm thickness in patients with severe thoracic scoliosis

Journal of Ultrasound (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to measure diaphragm thickness using ultrasound in adult patients with severe idiopathic scoliosis.

Methods

This prospective case–control study included patients with severe idiopathic scoliosis and a healthy control group. The control and patient groups’ demographic features, pulmonary function tests, diaphragm thickness, and thickening fraction measured using ultrasonography were compared.

Results

End-expirium values were similar between the two groups (p = 0.902). However, end of inspirium, change level, and diaphragm thickening fraction were significantly lower in the scoliosis group (p < 0.001 for all). Cobb degree values were inversely correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (%) (r =  − 0.909, p < 0.001), forced vital capacity (%) (r =  − 0.887, p < 0.001), and end-inspirium thickness (r =  − 0.673 and p < 0.001) values. Furthermore, diaphragm thickness at the end of inspirium was positively correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (%) (r = 0.636, p = 0.001) and forced vital capacity (%) (r = 0.646, p = 0.001) values. No significant correlation was found between diaphragm thickening fraction and forced expiratory volume in 1 s or forced vital capacity.

Conclusion

Ultrasound can provide valuable information about diaphragm morphology and quantify diaphragm contraction.

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Fig. 1

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Funding

This study received no funding.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Health Science Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Mithat Özhan Bulvarı Kışla Mah. No: 1 Yüreği, Adana, Turkey

    Evren Karaali & Osman Çiloğlu

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Health Science Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey

    Feride Fatma Görgülü

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Türkmenbaşı Medical Center, Adana, Turkey

    Timur Ekiz

Authors
  1. Evren Karaali
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  2. Osman Çiloğlu
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  3. Feride Fatma Görgülü
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  4. Timur Ekiz
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Correspondence to Evren Karaali.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Karaali, E., Çiloğlu, O., Görgülü, F.F. et al. Ultrasonographic measurement of diaphragm thickness in patients with severe thoracic scoliosis. J Ultrasound (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-020-00536-w

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Keywords

  • Musculoskeletal ultrasound
  • Pulmonary function
  • Cobb angle