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Recruiting NCT05924347

Early Scoliotic Changes in Children at Increased Risk for Scoliosis Development

— Observational Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

For patients and families

In plain language

An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.

What is being studied
The protocol lists: MRI, Scolioscan, Skeletal maturity assessment.
Who it may be relevant to
Registry conditions: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Basic parameters: 8 years — 11 years · All.
What needs checking
Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
Where it takes place
Netherlands
Next step
Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →

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Official title

Longitudinal MRI Study to Catch EARLY Scoliotic Changes of the Bone and Intervertebral Disc in Younger Sisters and Daughters of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients and the 22q11.2DS Population.

Overview

Rationale: Despite several decades of research, the exact etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains unclear. In AIS, spine curvature begins with and progresses during the adolescent growth spurt. Previous studies are only performed on populations with already established scoliosis and normal spinal growth (of bone and IVD tissue) during adolescence has also not been defined. Growth pattern differences may exist between scoliotic and nonscoliotic subjects. Previous studies support the hypothesis that AIS is a spinal deformity that starts with decompensation in the IVD and is linked to sagittal spinal alignment. However, to understand its cause and pathogenic mechanism, the changes to the adolescent spine must be assessed longitudinally during the growth period coinciding with the period prior to and during the onset of AIS. Ideally this should include a cohort who do and do not develop AIS and their assessment must be minimally harmful, without radiation exposure. Certain populations are at increased risk for scoliosis development (i.e. girls with family members with scoliosis and 22q11.2DS patients). New imaging modalities (boneMRI, 3D spinal ultrasound) allow for non-radiographic monitoring of spinal growth.

Detailed description

Objective: The primary objectives is: To longitudinally evaluate the substantial differences in anatomical changes in the spine during adolescent growth in girls, at increased risk for scoliosis development, and in adolescent 22q11.2DS patients, that do and do not develop AIS.

The secondary objectives are:

* To develop spine specific (IVD/endplates) maturity assessment grading. * To implement radiation-free imaging methods for spinal monitoring in adolescent patients at risk for scoliosis development. * To create a longitudinal dataset for patient specific spinal biomechanical assessment.

Study design: Prospective observational cohort study

Study population: 60 adolescent girls (8-10 years old) at increased risk for idiopathic scoliosis development (an older sibling or parent diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis) (Cohort-1) and 60 adolescent girls and boys with 22q11.2DS with increased risk for idiopathic-like scoliosis development (Cohort-2).

Intervention: none

Main study parameters/endpoints: Spinal MR imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine will be performed at 5 time points between 8 or 9 and 15 or 16 for girls and boys respectively to evaluate possible changes in the 3D anatomy of the spine. The main study parameter will be the longitudinal changes in segmental axial rotation on boneMRI of the thoracolumbar spine in subjects that do and do not develop AIS.

Secondary endpoints: Changes in bone and intervertebral disc morphology, lateral shift of the nucleus pulposus. These will be correlated to assessments of growth, skeletal maturity and spinal alignment.

Interventions

  • Diagnostic test MRI
    Longitudinal MRI examination of the thoracic and lumbar spine (T2, T2w, sCT)
  • Diagnostic test Scolioscan
    3D ultrasound of the spine
  • Diagnostic test Skeletal maturity assessment
    At one timepoint, a Hand radiograph is taken for digital skeletal maturity assessment

Primary outcome measures

  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Girls: Baseline]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Girls: 11year]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Girls: 12year]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Girls: 13year]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Girls: 15year]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Boys: Baseline]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Boys: 12year]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Boys: 13year]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Boys: 14year]
  • Spinal MR Imaging of the thoracic and lumbar spine [Time frame: Boys: 16year]
Secondary outcome measures (12)
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Girls: Baseline]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Girls: 11year]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Girls: 12year]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Girls: 13year]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Girls: 15year]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Boys: Baseline]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Boys: 12year]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Boys: 13year]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae and disc [Time frame: Boys: 14year]
  • A-P ratio vertebrae [Time frame: Boys: 16year]
  • Left-right ratio [Time frame: Girls: Baseline]
  • Left-right ratio [Time frame: Girls: 11year]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

Cohort 1:

  • Female,
  • 8, 9 or 10 years old
  • An older sibling, twin or parent diagnosed with AIS

Cohort 2:

  • Diagnosed with 22q11.2DS
  • Girls: 8, 9 or 10 years old.
  • Boys: 9, 10 or 11 years old.

All

  • No clinical signs of scoliosis at inclusion (physical examination by forward bending test and Bunnell Scoliometer assessment with a cut-off value of 7°.
  • Written informed consent of parents/legal representatives.

Exclusion criteria

  • Contraindications for MR imaging
  • Early-onset scoliosis or other spinal deformities
  • Other syndromes or neuromuscular disease associated with scoliosis
  • Clinical signs of >1cm leg length discrepancy
  • Other diseases or injuries, that are related to abnormal spinal growth, posture, activity levels, or scoliosis development.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Observational model
Cohort

Study locations

Netherlands · 1 center
  • UMC Utrecht — Utrecht

Publications

  • Lafranca PPG, Stempels HW, de Reuver S, Houben ML, Kok J, Kruyt MC, Castelein RM, Seevinck PR, van der Velden T, Shcherbakova YM, Ito K, Schlosser TPC. EARLYBIRD: catching the earliest changes of the bone and intervertebral discs in children at increased risk for scoliosis development with MRI - study protocol of a prospective observational cohort study. BMJ Open. 2025 Jun 26;15(6):e098929. doi: 1 PMID 40578865

Identifiers

NCT: NCT05924347 · NL82419.041.22

Primary sources (government registries)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗