BibTex format
@article{Sharma:2026:10.1016/j.jposna.2026.100369,
author = {Sharma, S and Ramnarine, A and Fouad, K and Kirby, S and Sankar, S and O'Connor, M and O'Byrne, GP and Boughton, O and Kiely, P and Rafferty, T},
doi = {10.1016/j.jposna.2026.100369},
journal = {Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America},
title = {Cardiopulmonary Consequences of Scoliosis and the Clinical Implications of VO2max: A Systematic Review},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jposna.2026.100369},
volume = {15},
year = {2026}
}
RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)
TY - JOUR
AB - Introduction: Multiple parameters, including VO<inf>2</inf>max, ventilatory efficiency, lung volumes, and exercise tolerance, have been examined, yet their progression with pediatric scoliosis remains unclear. Although pulmonary function tests are widely used, they may underestimate functional impairment, as spirometric measures can remain relatively preserved despite clinically meaningful reductions in exercise capacity. This review aims to define the extent of functional impairment, its association with curve severity, and the potential of VO<inf>2</inf>max as a marker of surgical recovery. Materials and methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for eligible studies reporting cardiopulmonary outcomes in pediatric scoliosis. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools and the ROBINS-I risk-of-bias tool. Results were synthesized narratively following the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guideline. Conclusions: From 455 records, 6 studies met the inclusion criteria. Adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis consistently demonstrated reduced aerobic capacity, with mean VO<inf>2</inf>max values ranging from 27.9 to 33.6 mL kg<sup>−1</sup>·min<sup>−1</sup>, approximately 20-25% below reference norms, indicating mild-to-moderate cardiopulmonary impairment. Functional tests such as the 6-min walk and E-fit correlated strongly with VO<inf>2</inf>max, validating their use as practical surrogates of aerobic performance. Greater curve severity and thoracic deformity were associated with progressive reductions in forced expiratory volume in one second, forced vital capacity, and VO<inf>2</inf>max, reflecting restrictive ventilatory physiology. Postoperative studies showed stable but not improved VO<inf>2</inf> or pulmonary function, suggesting that surgery preserves rather than enhances respiratory capacit
AU - Sharma,S
AU - Ramnarine,A
AU - Fouad,K
AU - Kirby,S
AU - Sankar,S
AU - O'Connor,M
AU - O'Byrne,GP
AU - Boughton,O
AU - Kiely,P
AU - Rafferty,T
DO - 10.1016/j.jposna.2026.100369
PY - 2026///
TI - Cardiopulmonary Consequences of Scoliosis and the Clinical Implications of VO2max: A Systematic Review
T2 - Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jposna.2026.100369
VL - 15
ER -