Fagan, A.Kennaway, D.Sutherland, A.2006-06-232006-06-231998Spine, 1998; 23(1):41-460362-24361528-1159http://hdl.handle.net/2440/6880<h4>Study design</h4>A case-control study of 24-hour urinary melatonin production in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.<h4>Objectives</h4>To address the controversy over the role of melatonin deficiency in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis by measuring total melatonin production over a 24-hour period.<h4>Summary of background data</h4>An association between melatonin deficiency and experimental scoliosis has been suggested in several animal species. Recent work has failed to show a deficiency in humans with scoliosis. However, this conclusion was based on single urinary estimations. In this study the period assayed was standardized to 24-hours for all patients to include the full diurnal cycle of melatonin excretion.<h4>Methods</h4>Consecutive patients at an outpatient clinic for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were recruited as subjects for this study, and patients from a fracture clinic who were of similar age and gender were recruited as controls at their final follow-up examination after the healing of their fracture. Patients and control individuals collected urine over a 24-hour period that was divided into consecutive day and night collections of 12 hours each. Total urinary excretion of 6-sulphatoxy melatonin was determined by radioimmunoassay for each 12-hour period in patients and control individuals.<h4>Results</h4>No significant difference in diurnal, nocturnal, or total urine 6-sulphatoxy melatonin excretion was found between adolescent patients with idiopathic scoliosis and controls of similar age and gender. There was also no difference between the two groups when 6-sulphatoxy melatonin excretion was corrected for body weight, body surface area, and body mass index. Nor was there a significant difference between 6-sulphatoxy melatonin excretion of patients with scoliosis whose curves failed to progress over the course of a year and the excretion of those who underwent surgery.<h4>Conclusions</h4>In adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, neither the presentation with a stable spinal deformity, nor presentation with a severe deformity requiring surgery is associated with melatonin deficiency.enPineal GlandHumansScoliosisDisease ProgressionMelatoninCase-Control StudiesAdolescentFemaleMaleJournal article0030005781001998087510.1097/00007632-199801010-000090000714791000092-s2.0-003193035269787Kennaway, D. [0000-0002-5864-3514]