title: Genetic markers for idiopathic scoliosis in arab population: a pilot study.
abstract: METHODS
  Cross-sectional screening.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to determine if there is any association of the three microsatellite markers on chromosome 19p 13.3 in unrelated Saudi Arabian girls who were suffering with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and their healthy siblings.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The genetic influence on the development of familial scoliosis has been previously described, but the genetic influence on AIS still remains unknown. Three microsatellite markers (D19S216, D19S894, and DS1034) of chromosome 19p 13.3 were reported to be significantly associated with familial scoliosis. This cross-sectional screening was carried out in AIS patients and their siblings.
  
  
  METHODS
  For eleven Saudi Arabian girls who were treated for AIS and their 11 siblings, we performed a linkage analysis using parametric and nonparametric methods and using GENEHUNTER ver. 2.1. Multipoint linkage analysis was used to specify an autosomal dominant trait with a gene frequency of 0.01 at the genotypic and the allelic levels. One sided Fisher's exact tests were used in the analysis of the contingency tables for the D19S216, D19S894 and DS1034 markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis between the patient group and the healthy siblings showed that at the genotypic level there was a significant association of the markers and scoliosis (D19S894 [p=0.036], D19S216 [p=0.004], and DS1034 [p=0.013]). Yet at the allelic level, there was no statistically significant association of the markers between the AIS patients and their siblings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pilot study shows that there is a genetic influence between the AIS patients and the siblings. We believe large scale genetic screening is warranted for the patients with AIS to identify beyond any doubt the influence of these markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dammam and King Fahd University Hospital, King Faisal University College of Medicine, AlKhobar, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdallah S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Al-Omran
authors.forename: Mir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadat-Ali
authors.forename: Abdallah A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Othman
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Jun;81(11):3443-6
references.pmid: 6587361
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 Jul 15;31(16):1815-9
references.pmid: 16845357
references.citation: Genome Res. 2002 Apr;12(4):602-12
references.pmid: 11932244
references.citation: J Orthop Res. 2009 Oct;27(10):1366-72
references.pmid: 19340878
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000 Sep 15;25(18):2372-80
references.pmid: 10984791
references.citation: Saudi Med J. 1998 Mar;19(2):210-211
references.pmid: 27701592
references.citation: Am J Hum Genet. 2000 Mar;66(3):979-88
references.pmid: 10712212
references.citation: Am J Hum Genet. 1996 Jun;58(6):1347-63
references.pmid: 8651312
references.citation: Am J Hum Genet. 2002 Aug;71(2):401-6
references.pmid: 12094330
references.citation: Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1987 Sep;(222):73-8
references.pmid: 2957138
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Mar 15;28(6):589-94
references.pmid: 12642767
references.citation: Scoliosis. 2008 Aug 05;3:9
references.pmid: 18681956
references.citation: Saudi Med J. 2000 Jun;21(6):554-7
references.pmid: 11500705
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2000 Aug;82(8):1157-68
references.pmid: 10954107
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 Apr 15;32(8):927-30
references.pmid: 17426641
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 May 15;30(10):1181-7
references.pmid: 15897833