The University of Iowa

Bracing in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial (BrAIST)

completed

BrAIST was a Phase II, multi-center, prospective randomized, partially blinded clinical trial designed to determine whether the use of thoracolumbosacral orthoses (TLSOs) lowers the risk of curve progression in subjects with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) relative to observation (watchful waiting) alone. Bracing was the standard of care for the treatment of AIS and, despite many years of research, the effectiveness of bracing was still in doubt and it was not known with certainty which, if any, patients with AIS would respond favorably to bracing. The primary aim of this study was to measure the relative risk of curve progression to greater than 50 degrees in the two treatment arms. 

This trial was stopped early owing to the efficacy of bracing. Bracing significantly decreased the progression of high-risk curves to the threshold for surgery for patients with AIS. The benefit increased with longer hours of brace wear. 

Trial results are available via ClinicalTrials.gov.