Nighttime vs Full-Time Bracing for Moderate Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Comparative Study
Effectiveness of nighttime vs full-time bracing in the treatment of moderate-grade adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a secondary analysis of the CONTRAIS trial.
Acta Orthop. 2025 Jun 4;96:437–442.Eighty-nine patients with moderate-grade adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were included, with 45 receiving a nighttime brace and 44 receiving a full-time brace. The primary outcome was curve progression to a Cobb angle ≥ 45°. Secondary outcomes included the rate of surgery, in-brace correction percentage, and radiographic parameters. Outcomes were assessed up to a median of 33 months, with a mean total follow-up of 94 months. Overall, the results of the study revealed no significant difference in curve progression between groups and a similar mean time to surgery. However, there was a non-significant trend toward more surgeries in the nighttime group. These findings suggest that nighttime bracing, with the option to transition to full-time bracing upon progression, may be a viable alternative to full-time bracing, offering similar effectiveness in preventing progression with potentially better compliance.
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