REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE CLASSIFICATION OF PROXIMAL HUMERAL OSSIFICATION IN IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the intra- and interobserver reproducibility of the classification of proximal humeral ossification in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Methods Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Radiographs (anteroposterior) of 29 patients diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis were chosen and investigated at the Spine Surgery Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of the Hospital Getúlio Vargas, Recife, Pernambuco. These radiographs were evaluated and classified by 9 spinal orthopedic surgeons at two moments, with a minimum interval of 30 days, for analysis of the intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of the classification of proximal humeral ossification used as a predictor of peak growth velocity. Results Intraobserver reproducibility achieved moderate to substantial concordance with the kappa index. In the analysis of interobserver reproducibility using the Fleiss’ kappa method, a reasonable to moderate concordance was observed, except for in stage 5, in which concordance ranged from substantial to almost perfect. Conclusion In this study, the reproducibility of the Li classification in most of the stages was reasonable to moderate for the interobserver assessment and moderate to substantial for the intraobserver assessment, which differs from the current literature. Level of evidence III; Diagnostic studies – Investigation of a diagnostic test. RESUMEN Objetivo Evaluar la reproducibilidad intra e interobservador de la clasificación de osificación del húmero proximal en pacientes con escoliosis idiopática. Métodos Estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal. Se seleccionaron radiografías (anteroposteriores) de 29 pacientes con diagnóstico de escoliosis idiopática en la Clínica de Cuidados Ambulatorios de Cirugía de Columna del Departamento de Ortopedia del Hospital Getúlio Vargas, Recife, Pernambuco. Estas radiografías fueron evaluadas y clasificadas por nueve cirujanos ortopedistas de columna, en dos momentos, con un intervalo mínimo de 30 días, para analizar la reproducibilidad intraobservador e interobservador de la clasificación de osificación del húmero proximal utilizada como predictor de la velocidad máxima de crecimiento. Resultados La reproducibilidad intraobservador con el índice Kappa alcanzó concordancia de moderada a sustancial de la reproducibilidad intraobservador. En el análisis de la reproducibilidad interobservador con el método de kappa de Fleiss, se encontró