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. 2024 Jan 30;13(3):788.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13030788.

Differences in Pubertal Curve Progression among Females with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Using Pregnenolone Therapy: A Retrospective Case-Controlled Series

Mark W Morningstar  1 , Brooke DuRussel  2
Affiliations

Differences in Pubertal Curve Progression among Females with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Using Pregnenolone Therapy: A Retrospective Case-Controlled Series

Mark W Morningstar et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Differences in hormone metabolism have been observed in children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. These differences have been offered as underlying reasons for rapid curve progression during puberty. This study retrospectively compared two groups of females with a history of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. They were seen for initial presentation prior to menarche, or within 2 months after menarche, and they were followed up 1 year after first menarche. Methods: All patients in both groups underwent baseline salivary hormone testing to identify any hormone imbalances. The control group was composed of females with curves between 10 and 25 degrees and maintained an observation-only management strategy. The treatment group showed baseline curve measurements ranging from 10 to 23 degrees, and additionally took pregnenolone daily for 12 months. Results: At one-year follow-up, the treatment group showed curve measurements ranging from 13 to 24 degrees, while the control group ranged from 16 to 29 degrees (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study showed that adolescent females taking pregnenolone daily for low progesterone had reduced scoliosis curve progression over 1 year compared to controls.

Keywords: hormone; scoliosis; spine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean descriptive and outcome data.
Figure 2
Figure 2
All participants change in salivary progesterone levels following pregnenolone therapy.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Treatment group change in salivary progesterone levels following pregnenolone therapy.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Boxplot of change in salivary progesterone across groups.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Dose–response relationship between pregnenolone dosage and salivary progesterone change.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Dose–response relationship between pregnenolone dosage and salivary progesterone change in treatment group only.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Boxplot of change in cobb angle across groups.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Control group cobb angle data.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Treatment group cobb angle data.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Intergroup cobb angle data comparison.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Dose–response relationship between pregnenolone dosage and cobb angle change treatment group only.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Dose–response relationship between pregnenolone dosage and cobb angle change treatment group only with all data points included.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Dose–response relationship between pregnenolone dosage and cobb angle change across all participants.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Dose–response relationship between pregnenolone dosage and cobb angle change across all participants with individual points.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Age vs. change in cobb angle scatterplot (red dots indicate treatment group, black dots denote control group).
Figure 16
Figure 16
Pregnenolone dosage vs. change in cobb angle across all participants (red dots indicate treatment group and black dots indicate control group).
Figure 17
Figure 17
Histogram of change in cobb angle.
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