%0 Journal Article
%T Association between adolescent idiopathic scoliosis prevalence and age at menarche in different geographic latitudes
%A Theodoros B Grivas
%A Elias Vasiliadis
%A Vasilios Mouzakis
%A Constantinos Mihas
%A Georgios Koufopoulos
%J Scoliosis
%D 2006
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1748-7161-1-9
%X 20 peer-reviewed published papers reporting adolescent idiopathic scoliosis prevalence and 33 peer-reviewed papers reporting age at menarche in normal girls from most geographic areas of the northern hemisphere were retrieved from the literature. The geographic latitude of each centre where a particular study was originated was documented. The statistical analysis included regression of the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis prevalence and age at menarche by latitude.The regression of prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and age at menarche by latitude is statistically significant (p < 0.001) and are following a parallel declining course of their regression curves, especially in latitudes northern than 25 degrees.Late age at menarche is parallel with higher prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Pubarche appears later in girls that live in northern latitudes and thus prolongs the period of spine vulnerability while other pre-existing or aetiological factors are contributing to the development of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. A possible role of geography in the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis is discussed, as it appears that latitude which differentiates the sunlight influences melatonin secretion and modifies age at menarche, which is associated to the prevalence of idiopathic scoliosis.A wide range of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) prevalence in different countries is demonstrated by the various reports in the literature. (1¨C20) The significance of this specific observation may not be obvious but its evaluation is important because it could be related to a possible contributory factor of AIS pathogenesis.In studying variations on the rate of sexual development across the world, a similar observation is recorded for the age at menarche, as well. (21¨C53) The influence of the geography of a specific region on human biology is determined by socioeconomic and environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and lighting that are transferr
%U http://www.scoliosisjournal.com/content/1/1/9