
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis and Genetics
Receiving a diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) can be frightening news for parents and their affected child. It’s a diagnosis that raises many questions. Until now, when it comes to AIS, health care professionals are faced with significant uncertainty. Particularly when it comes to the biggest question of all—what lies ahead?
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the most prevalent pediatric deformity, affecting 2-3% of the population.1-3 AIS is a disease found only in humans4 with no single known cause, making it a multi-factorial condition. A strong genetic link was long suspected in AIS due to anecdotal observations of inheritance patterns in AIS patients.
Did You Know
- The SCOLISCORE Test is the first and only test proven to give doctors insight into the possible progression of AIS.
- The SCOLISCORE Test is a laboratory test performed on your child’s DNA from a saliva sample obtained in a physician's office
It wasn’t until 1968, 15 years after Watson and Crick reported their discovery of DNA,5 that Wynne-Davies reported that AIS was indeed familial and suggested that it was caused by either dominant or multiple gene inheritance.6 This view was further supported by work performed by others over the next 40 years.7-13 Though 2 – 3% of the general population are diagnosed with AIS, only a very small percentage of those patients (1 – 4%) experience a curve progression requiring multi-level instrumentation and fusion.14 The ability to predict which curves will progress to the point of requiring surgery in patients presenting with a mild scoliotic curve (Cobb angle 10 – 25°), has remained a challenging problem for decades.
The SCOLISCORE™ AIS Prognostic Test.
In collaboration with Axial Biotech, DePuy Spine and Smith & Nephew introduces a major advance in the management of AIS, the SCOLISCORE™ AIS Prognostic Test. The SCOLISCORE Test is a 53 genetic marker panel that provides greater insight into the likelihood of AIS curve progression. When used in conjunction with existing radiographic tools, this new test of AIS progression empowers informed treatment decisions leading to confidence in patient care.