Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Is low melatonin a cause?
BACKGROUND
Although the cause of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis remains unclear, pinealectomy is followed by the development of scoliosis in chickens. Melatonin is the only hormone secreted by pineal gland.


OBJECTIVE
To assess serum melatonin levels in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.


METHODS
Serum melatonin was assayed once, at 12:00 hours, in each of 20 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis and 10 age-matched siblings. In the patient group, mean age was 14.3 years and the mean Cobb angle was 54.5 degrees (range, 20 degrees-110 degrees). Mean age in the control group was 14 years.


RESULTS
Serum melatonin was significantly lower in the patients (mean, 7.7 pg/mL; range, 4 to 13 pg/mL) than in the controls (mean, 29.9 pg/mL; range, 19.3 to 46 pg/mL) (P < 0.00001). The 12 surgically treated patients had a mean melatonin level of 8.1 pg/mL, versus 7.2 pg/mL in the eight other patients (nonsignificant P and regression coefficient values). Serum melatonin was not significantly correlated with the Cobb's angle (regression coefficient, 0.18; P < 0.44).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that serum melatonin levels may contribute to the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis.
Sadat-Ali
M
M
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, King Fadh University Hospital, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
al-Habdan
I
I
al-Othman
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D011859:Radiography; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D008550:Melatonin