UNderstanding the Causes Of Idiopathic Scoliosis Through the Longitudinal Analysis of Proteomic Markers: the UNCOIL Study (UNCOIL)

June 18, 2026 updated by: University of Colorado, Denver

The goal of this observational study is to find clinical, demographic, and protein biomarkers that scoliosis progression (scoliosis curve increases) and/or differ between participants with scoliosis versus those without scoliosis. The investigators aim to answer the following questions:

  1. Are age, sex, skeletal maturity, and family history associated with scoliosis curve progression?
  2. Do protein levels differ between progressive and non-progressive cases?
  3. Do protein levels change between baseline and follow-up visits in progressive and non-progressive scoliosis cases?
  4. Do proteins differ between participants with AIS vs those without AIS?
  5. Do proteins or change in proteins differ between participants with AIS vs those with scoliosis secondary to neuromuscular conditions.

Participants will:

  • Participate in two research visits 6-12 months apart at a Children's Hospital Colorado location.
  • Participate in a blood draw at each study visit to collect about 3 tablespoons of blood.
  • Fill out surveys yearly regarding new medical visits, pain, physical function, anxiety and depression, medical and family history, and current medications.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
500

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Colorado
      • Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
        • Recruiting
        • Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Scoliosis patients will be recruited from a Children's Hospital Colorado spine clinic during a routine visit for their scoliosis. Controls will be recruited from a Children's Hospital Colorado spine clinic for those who were suspected to have scoliosis with spinal curvature <10 degrees, or from a Children's Hospital Colorado sports clinic seen for a musculoskeletal injury or condition.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients 10-17 years old with idiopathic or neuromuscular scoliosis with a cobb angle of 10-50° that are currently being seen for their scoliosis at a Children's Hospital Colorado location

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children diagnosed with certain genetic conditions that affect the bones or muscles (Turner syndrome, down syndrome, Marfan syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, muscular dystrophy, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, VATER/VACTERL syndrome, Rett syndrome, Prader Willi syndrome, or Angelman syndrome)
  • Patients with congenital scoliosis, early onset scoliosis (diagnosed before 9 years old), or those who have spine surgery scheduled prior to the first study visit
  • Patients whose spinal curve is >50 degrees
  • Those taking medications that may influence protein expression (baclofen, prednisone/corticosteroids, antiepileptic medications, diazepam, tizanidine, and/or dantrolene)
  • Patients who are pregnant
  • Patients with neurocognitive disorders who are non-verbal and/or non-ambulatory
  • Patients who are not receiving care for scoliosis at a Children's Hospital Colorado location

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Scoliosis cases
Participants with clinician diagnosed adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, defined as Cobb angle >=10 degrees with rotation.
Controls
Participants without adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, described as a spinal curvature (Cobb angle) of <10 degrees.
Neuromuscular scoliosis
Participants with physician confirmed scoliosis, defined as Cobb angle >=10 degrees, secondary to a neuromuscular condition.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in curve severity
Time Frame: Baseline and 6-12 months
The change in Cobb angle of the primary scoliosis curve between the baseline and the 6-12 month visit will be quantified.
Baseline and 6-12 months
Curve progression
Time Frame: 6 to 12 months
Curve progression will be defined as an increase in Cobb angle between the baseline and 6-12 month follow-up visit of >=6 degrees and/or need for spine surgery or other invasive surgical intervention.
6 to 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Colorado, Denver

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Patrick Carry, PhD, University of Colorado, Denver

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 5, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2031

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 4, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 4, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 18, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 24-0316

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Due to collection of genetics and sensitive medical data, the investigators do not plan on sharing individual level data with other researchers at this time. While there is no current plan to share IPD, data may be made available in the future if required by funding agencies or sponsoring organizations, and in accordance with applicable regulations, institutional policies, and participant consent. Any data shared will be de-identified to protect participant privacy and confidentiality.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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