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Adolescent Idiopathic ScoliosisNCT03716843

Dynamic Pressure Monitoring System for Orthotic Treatment of Scoliosis

An observational study of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) involves three-dimensional spinal deformity in children aged between 10 and 16. Traditional braces modify the natural dynamics and thus the mechanical behaviour of the scoliotic spine through external constraints. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 10 to 15 years
Conditions the study is for
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
What is being tested?
Pressure monitoring system
How many people
20 participants
Where
1 siteHong Kong
Study dates
2 Jan 2022to 31 Dec 2027
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 10 to 15 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Study population: The study will be divided into two phases. In Phase 1, an exploratory pilot study will be performed with up to two different braces tried on the same patient in one spinal centre in Hong Kong.

Who may be able to join

  • Teenagers diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
  • Cobb's angle between 25 to 45 degrees
  • Immature skeletons (Risser grade 0-2)
  • Types of scoliosis are classified by the Lenke classification system
  • Have received rigid brace treatment

Who cannot join

  • Contraindications for x-ray exposure
  • Diagnosis of other musculoskeletal or developmental illness that might be responsible for the spinal curvature
  • History of previous surgical treatment for AIS
  • Contraindications for pulmonary and/ or exercise tests
  • Psychiatric disorders
  • Recent trauma
  • Recent traumatic (emotional) event

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Kit Yick, PhD contact

852-27666551

tcyick@polyu.edu.hk

Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting
  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

    Tsim Sha Tsui, Kolwoon, 00852

    Joanne Yip, PhD, 85227664848, joanne.yip@polyu.edu.hk

    Kit Yick, PhD, 85227666551, tcyick@polyu.edu.hk

    Recruiting

Other trials in Hong Kong

About this study

Official title: Design of a Dynamic Pressure Monitoring System for Orthotic Treatment of Scoliosis

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) involves three-dimensional spinal deformity in children aged between 10 and 16. Traditional braces modify the natural dynamics and thus the mechanical behaviour of the scoliotic spine through external constraints. Patients usually develop pressure ulcers and skin irritation when prescribed brace treatment for 18-23 hours per day. The excessive pressure, unknown pressure distribution and pressure shifting between the human body and the brace causes the effects of brace treatment to be unpredictable. Dynamic pressure monitoring system will be developed based on the body landmarks of scoliotic patients and critical areas where active pressure is applied by the brace. The overall pressure distribution and dynamic pressure between the body and the thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis (TLSO) rigid brace will be measured. The efficacy of the brace design will be evaluated, and the maximum compressive stresses that patients can endure on different body parts without pressure injury can be computed.

Read the detailed description

Global rates of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) range from 0.9% to 12%, and within this population, approximately 10% of adolescents aged 10-16 will eventually need treatment. The most common conservative treatment is bracing, in which AIS patients are prescribed a brace for 18 to 23 hours daily until skeletally mature. The objective of bracing is to stop curve progression and restore normal alignment of the spine by active pressure from the brace. There is strong clinical evidence of a positive correlation between the tightness of daily brace application and the ability of the brace to decrease the risk of curve progression to a surgical threshold. However, patients suffer physical and functional discomfort resulting from pressure points, including pressure ulcers, skin irritation and even asthma attacks, which reduces compliance with brace treatment. Clearly, the knowledge of human body responses to pressure applied by brace treatment remains lacking.

This multi-disciplinary collaborative study involves experts in electrical and electronic engineering, orthopaedics, materials science and textiles, and biomechanics. A revolutionary pressure measurement system that integrates fibre optic sensors with textile yarns will be developed in the form of an undergarment. The sensor arrangement in the undergarment will be designed according to the body landmarks of scoliotic patients and critical areas where active pressure is applied by the brace. The overall pressure distribution and dynamic pressure between the body and the scoliosis brace will be measured. The efficacy of the brace design will be evaluated, and the maximum compressive stresses that patients can endure on different body parts without pressure injury can be computed.

Academia, clinicians and AIS patients are predicted to benefit from using the pressure system, which determines the optimum pressure to be exerted on patients while minimizing pressure injuries. The output of the project can be extended to the standardization of pressure levels applied by different orthotic devices and will add a new dimension to fibre optic applications in biomechanics.

Being tested
Pressure monitoring system
Keywords
Dynamic Pressure Monitoring

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Pressure monitoring systemOther

    Also called Pressure measurement undergarment

    The pressure measurement undergarment will be given to all consenting AIS patients who have received their own thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis (TLSO) rigid brace. Each patient will wear the undergarment first and the TLSO brace on top. FBG sensors embedded in the undergarment will measure each pressure signal at approximately 2 minutes. The average force reading will be calculated.

    Then, the experiment will be repeated once, but the anisotropic textile brace will replace the TLSO brace. The pressure measurement system will be used to obtain an accurate and adequate comparison of the forces applied to the patients. The effectiveness of the anisotropic textile brace will be evaluated through X-ray radiography, and its correction effect with be compared with that of the TLSO brace.

Study groups in NCT03716843
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Pressure monitoring system for AISAdolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients (1) all target subjects are aged 10 to 15 years old with immature skeletons (Risser grade 0-2); (2) they are diagnosed with AIS with a Cobb angle between 25-45° and high risk for curve progression; (3) the types of scoliosis are classified by the Lenke classification system; and (4) the subjects have received rigid brace treatment.
Receives: Other: Pressure monitoring system

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Overall pressure distribution and dynamic pressure

    1. Dynamic Pressure Changes (kPa) Monitored Over 2 Hours of Brace Wear, as Measured by the Optical Fibre Sensors.
    2. Overall Pressure Distribution (kPa) Monitored Over 2 Hours of Brace, as Measured by the Optical Fibre Sensors.

    Measured: 2 hours after wearing the brace

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Scoliosis Research Society Quality of Life Questionnaire

    1. Change in Scoliosis Research Society Score (SRS-22r) for Quality of Life Before and After Brace Usage. It includes five domains that evaluate function, pain, self-image, psychosocial status and satisfaction with the treatment and will be distributed to both experimental and control groups at 0 and 6 months. It has a minimum score of 22 and a maximum score of 110, with higher scores representing greater patient quality of life.

    Measured: 6 months after wearing the brace

  2. Visual analogue scale

    1. Change in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Scores for Pain Before and After Brace Usage.

    VAS is a straight horizontal line measuring 100 mm. The ends are defined as the extreme limits of pain, oriented from the left at 0 mm to the right at 100 mm. Typically, higher scores indicate a worse outcome, i.e., more pain.

    Measured: 6 months after wearing the brace

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted23 Oct 2018
  2. Study start2 Jan 2022
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case only
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
20 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03716843
Sponsor's protocol ID
GRF2019
Status last verified
Oct 2024
First submitted
20 Oct 2018
Last updated
18 Oct 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Oct 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Joanne Yip, PhD (852-27664848, joanne.yip@polyu.edu.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Overall pressure distribution and dynamic pressure (time frame: 2 hours after wearing the brace). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Oct 2024.

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