An observational study in Intervertebral Disc Disease, sponsored by Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. Recruiting at 2 sites in South Korea. Open to participants aged 20 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-18.
Sponsored by Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center · Observational
The intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a widely recognized musculoskeletal disorder that impose a substantial socioeconomic burden and respresents one of the most important causes of low back pain. IVDD can result from a variety of factors, including aging, obesity, genetic predispositioin, degeneration of of the multifidus and psoas muscles, osteoporosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
The IVD consists of a central gelatinous nucleus pulposus (NP), an outer annulus fibrosus (AF), and superior and inferior cartilaginous endplates. The NP and AF produce a water-rich extracellular matrix (ECM), which is essential for normal trunk function.
Dysfunction of the NP and AF, together with excessive metabolic activity of the enplates triggered by various intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli, leads to endplate degeneration and calcification, and ultimately to IVDD. In addition to aging and mechanical overload, increased oxidative stress and pro-inflammatrory cytokine secretion further accelerate the progression of IVDD.
Periostin is an ECM protein which is associated with mechanical stress, inflammation, and aging, and is known to be closely involved in the development and progression of IVDD. Periostin binds to ECM molecule within the IVD and participates in its maintenance and repair; however, excessive ECM turn over drives IVD degeneration and its progression. Periostin influences IVD degeneration through mechanical stress and inflammatory pathways, and serum periostin levels are elevated in patients with severe IVD degeneration. A recent study demonstrated strong corrrelation between serum periostin concentration and the Pfirmann grading system.
The Oswestry disability index is a validated scale that measures functional disability in patients with spinal pain, and the EQ-5D is a breif questionnaire used to assess health related quality of life. Because serum periostin levels reflect the severity of IVDD, periostin may also influence patient's functional disability and quality of life. However, whether serum periostin concentration correlates with functional disability and quality of life has not yet been studied.
63 studies on the registry are indexed under Intervertebral disc disease; 18 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 53 is below the median of 120 across 22 observational studies indexed under Intervertebral disc disease.
Browse Intervertebral disc disease studies →Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 86 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
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low back pain population with disc degeneration confirmed in MRI
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Other: Blood sampling for ELISA
blood sampling to detect the level of periostin and cytokine
Identifying the correlation of periostin level and ODI and EQ5D
Time frame: Day1
Identifying the correlation of the periostin level and Cytokine level and Pfirmann grading
Time frame: Day1
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Jun 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Feb 2027, 8 months after the start.
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Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center