Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38849690›Full record

ArticleSpine deformity2024

Maturation of the vertebral ring apophysis is delayed in girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis compared to the normal population.

Lorenzo Costa, Agnes van Lange, Peter R Seevinck, Winnie Chu, Ludvig Vavruch, Moyo C Kruyt, René M Castelein, Tom P C Schlosser

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Spine deformity, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Association of delayed apophyseal ring maturation with juvenile lumbar disc herniation: a retrospective case-control study with CT-based staging.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Lorenzo CostaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05.228, 3508 GA, P.O. Box 85500, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-9439-5186
Agnes van LangeDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05.228, 3508 GA, P.O. Box 85500, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Peter R SeevinckDepartment of Imaging, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Winnie ChuDepartment of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Chinese University of Hong Kong at The Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin, China.
Ludvig VavruchDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Moyo C KruytDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05.228, 3508 GA, P.O. Box 85500, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
René M CasteleinDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05.228, 3508 GA, P.O. Box 85500, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Tom P C SchlosserDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, G05.228, 3508 GA, P.O. Box 85500, Utrecht, The Netherlands. t.p.c.schlosser@umcutrecht.nl.

Funding

H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 801540
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe ring apophysis is a secondary ossification center on both sides of each vertebral body, to which the annulus of the intervertebral disc inserts. Recently, its pattern of ossification and fusion to the vertebral body was described for the normal growing spine. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ossification and fusion of the ring apophysis in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and compare it to the normal growing population.

methodsRing apophysis maturation along the entire thoracic and lumbar spine was analyzed on CT scans of 99 female, pre-operative AIS patients and compared to 134 CT scans of non-scoliotic girls, aged 12 to 20.

resultsThe ring apophysis maturation in AIS patients was delayed at all spinal levels in AIS patients compared to non-scoliotic controls. Ossification starts at T4-T11 at age 12, followed by T1-T5 and L3-S1 at age 15. The fusion process in AIS patients continues longer in the midthoracic region as compared to the other regions and as compared to non-scoliotic controls, with many incomplete fusions still at age 20.

conclusionThe ring apophysis maturation in AIS is delayed compared to that in the normal population and lasts longer in the mid/low thoracic spine. Delayed maturation of the spine's most important stabilizer, while the body's dimensions continue to increase, could be part of the patho-mechanism of AIS.

Indexed as

ScoliosisThoracic VertebraeTomography, X-Ray ComputedAdolescentHumansMaleAdolescent idiopathic scoliosisRing apophysisSecondary ossificationSpinal maturationSpine development

Identifiers

PMID38849690
PMCPMC11499316

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.