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The Osteoporotic Fracture Classification-based Scoring System for Treatment Decision in Thoracolumbar Osteoporotic Fractures

Sponsor: AO Foundation, AO Spine

NCT ID: NCT07027306

View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

At a glance

What the study gets you
Health checks and monitoring — no treatment given
Type of study
Observational (no treatment given)
Time in hospital
In-person visits at study sites — visit count not specified by the sponsor
Drug or intervention
Posterior stabilization (pedicle screws) (procedure)
How long the study runs
Study runs about 57 months (dates as stated)
About the drug or intervention
Posterior stabilization (pedicle screws) — procedure: * Any other type of solely vertebral augmentation (stents, etc.), specify * Posterior stabilization (pedicle screws) * Posterior stabilization (pedicle screws) with kyphoplasty/vertebroplasty * Posterior stabilization (pedicle screws) with screw augmentation * Posterior stabilization (pedicle screws) with screw augmentation and kyphoplasty/vertebroplasty * Posterior stabilization (pedicle screws) with vertebral osteotomy (pedicle subtraction osteotomy or similar) * Combined posterior and anterior stabilization
Patient visit burden
Not specified by the sponsor

In plain English

This study looks at broken bones in the spine caused by osteoporosis (weak bones), in the area from the upper back down to the lower back. It uses a scoring system called the OF Classification, which grades these fractures from OF 1 (least severe) to OF 5 (most severe), to help decide on treatment. The study is sponsored by the AO Foundation and AO Spine.

Who can take part

  • Women aged 50 or over who have been through the menopause (no periods for one full year), or men over 60
  • A newly diagnosed, painful break in one or more neighbouring bones of the spine between the upper back (T1) and lower back (L5), confirmed by a scan (MRI, or CT for a break caused by minor injury)
  • The break is caused by primary osteoporosis — weak bones not caused by another condition or long-term steroid use. This is shown by a bone density T-score of -2.5 or lower in the spine, hip, or wrist, or by having a break from a minor cause such as a slip, trip, small fall, or heavy lifting
  • The break can be graded from OF 1 to OF 5 using the study's classification system
  • Being able to give informed consent to take part

Who may not be able to

  • Spinal tumours or signs of spinal infection
  • A break in the neck (cervical) part of the spine at the same time
  • Breaks from high-energy accidents, such as falls from double body height or more, or serious car crashes
  • Other breaks at the same time (pelvis, arms, or legs) that could affect mobility or pain measurements
  • Previous metalwork (instrumented surgery) in the affected part of the spine, or a break next to previous metalwork
  • Being unable to attend follow-up visits, or having a mental health condition that makes following the study difficult
  • Being bedridden before the spinal break
  • Recent recreational drug or alcohol misuse that would affect reliable assessments
  • Taking part in another study of a device or medicine in the past month

What taking part involves

  • • Not stated — ask the trial team
  • • The spinal break is graded using the OF Classification (OF 1 to OF 5) as part of the study

Time commitment: Not stated — ask the trial team about how many visits, how long the study lasts, and what taking part involves.

Plain-English summary (AI-generated) from registry data. Not eligibility advice — only the trial team can confirm whether you can take part. Use the eligibility checker to see how your health profile matches this trial.

Type of study
Observing health over time
Ages
50 Years and over
Who
All
Number of participants
648
Started
2026-03-19
Last checked
2026-05

Plain English Summary

What is this study?

  • • Testing a new treatment for osteoporotic fractures
  • • Clinical study - 648 participants
  • • This is an international multicenter prospective observational study

Who can take part?

  • • Ages 50 Years and over
  • • Diagnosed with osteoporotic fractures

Where?

  • • London - King's College Hospital

This is a simplified summary. Always discuss with your doctor before making any decisions.

About This Trial

This is an international multicenter prospective observational study. Patients with radiologically confirmed, symptomatic, single- or multilevel contiguous TL (from T1 to L5) fractures as a result of primary osteoporosis will be recruited from participating clinics/hospitals (ie, study sites). Fractures included are insufficiency fractures (confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging \[MRI\]) and traumatic fractures (low-energy trauma, confirmed by computed tomography \[CT\] or MRI).

More detail

This is an international multicenter prospective observational study. Postmenopausal women ≥ 50 years old and men \> 60 years old with radiologically confirmed, symptomatic, single- or multilevel contiguous TL (from T1 to L5) fractures as a result of primary osteoporosis will be recruited from participating clinics/hospitals (ie, study sites). Fractures included are insufficiency fractures (confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging \[MRI\]) and traumatic fractures (low-energy trauma, confirmed by computed tomography \[CT\] or MRI). All osteoporotic TL fractures will be classified using the OF classification system (OF 1 to OF 5). Only the most severe fracture will be used to calculate the OF score. The OF score will be subsequently calculated to aid the surgeons' decision making on the initial treatment plan, which is categorized as either nonsurgical or surgical treatment. To address the primary study objective, depending on whether the treating surgeons' eventual initial treatment decisions agree with the OF score recommendations, patients will be divided into two groups: 1) patients whose initial treatment is in accordance with the OF score recommendations (the Accordance group), and 2) patients whose initial treatment is in discordance with the OF score recommendations (the Discordance group). Accordance refers to 1) when the OF score is \> 6, surgical treatment is prescribed by the treating surgeons, 2) when the OF score is \< 6, nonsurgical treatment only is prescribed by the treating surgeons, and 3) when the OF score is 6, either surgical or nonsurgical treatment is prescribed (Note: any surgeons' decision is deemed in accordance with the OF score as the system leaves the decision to the surgeons' discretion in this situation). Accordance/Discordance group assignment is based on the agreement/discrepancy between the eventual treatment and the recommendations from the OF score that is obtained up to Day 0, although OF scores may be calculated at follow-ups (FUs) for subsequent treatment decision making (eg, whether the treatment plan needs to be modified). Depending on the actual initial treatment assigned to the patients by the treating surgeons, patients will be divided into two groups: 1) patients assigned to receive nonsurgical treatment (the Nonsurgical group), and 2) patients assigned to receive surgery (the Surgical group). Day 0 refers to the day when the initial treatment is decided and starts (categorized as nonsurgical or surgical treatment). Subsequent FUs will be calculated in reference to Day 0. Patients will be followed up clinically at discharge, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. The primary outcome of the study is the return to the mobility level before the injury or symptom onset (as reported by the patient). The FU period for the primary endpoint of the study is 3 months (short-term), and 12 months for the secondary endpoints (long-term).

Osteoporotic FracturesOsteoporosis

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What we know so far

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Preliminary match based on your answers. Full eligibility requires on-site assessment including medical history, physical exam, and lab tests. This does not guarantee enrolment.

Eligibility at a Glance

Key info

  • Age: 50 Years and over
  • Who can join: All genders

What the study is looking for

  • ✓Postmenopausal women ≥ 50 years old or men \> 60 years old
  • ✓o Menopause refers to amenorrhea for 1 complete year.
  • ✓Radiologically confirmed new diagnosis of causing symptoms, single or multilevel TL (from T1 to L5) fractures, ie, the...
  • ✓In case of a multilevel fracture, the fracture must be contiguous.
  • ✓The index fracture is confirmed by MRI as an insufficiency (or fragility) fracture or is confirmed by CT or MRI as...

Who cannot take part

  • ✗Patients with spinal tumors
  • ✗Patients with concomitant cervical fractures
  • ✗Patients showing any signs of spinal infections
  • ✗Patients with concomitant fracture in the pelvis, upper extremities, and/or lower extremities which could affect the...
  • ✗Patients for whom no FUs are possible
See the full criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Postmenopausal women ≥ 50 years old or men \> 60 years old o Menopause refers to amenorrhea for 1 complete year. * Radiologically confirmed new diagnosis of symptomatic, single or multilevel TL (from T1 to L5) fractures, ie, the index fracture(s). * In case of a multilevel fracture, the fracture must be contiguous. * The index fracture is confirmed by MRI as an insufficiency (or fragility) fracture or is confirmed by CT or MRI as traumatic fracture (low-energy trauma) * The index fracture(s) is a result of primary osteoporosis. Diagnosis of primary osteoporosis is based on any of the followings in the absence of causes for secondary osteoporosis (such as long-term use of steroids, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus \[DM\], and other metabolic bone disorders \[eg, rickets/osteomalacia, Paget's disease, osteogenesis imperfecta, and primary hyperparathyroidism\]) \[13-15\]: * A T-score ≤ -2.5 in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip, or 1/3 radius * Presence of fragility fracture (either a previous fragility fracture or the index fracture is a fragility fracture). Fragility fractures are fractures due to no or low-energy trauma, eg, slips, trips, or falls from less than double the body height, and heavy lifting. * The index osteoporotic TL fracture being classified based on the OF Classification from OF 1 to OF 5: * OF 1: No deformation (vertebral body edema on MRI using short tau inversion recovery \[STIR\] sequence) * OF 2: Deformation of one endplate * OF 3: Deformation of one endplate with distinct posterior wall involvement * OF 4: Deformation of both endplates with/without posterior wall involvement * OF 5: Injuries with anterior or posterior tension band failure * Ability to provide informed consent according to the EC/IRB defined and approved procedures Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with spinal tumors * Patients with concomitant cervical fractures * Patients showing any signs of spinal infections * Patients with fractures due to high-energy or high-impact trauma, eg, a fall from double the body height or higher, motor vehicle accident with \> 100 km/h in cars with airbags, or motor vehicle accident \> 50 km/h without airbags, polytrauma * Patients with concomitant fracture in the pelvis, upper extremities, and/or lower extremities which could affect the main study outcomes (specifically, patient mobility and pain) * Patients for whom no FUs are possible * Previous instrumented surgery in the affected spine levels * Patients with single-level fracture or contiguous multilevel fracture adjacent to previous instrumented surgery * Patients who are mentally impaired and therefore not able to adhere to the study procedures and data collection * Patients who are bedridden before the index fracture * Recent history of substance abuse (ie, recreational drugs and alcohol) that would preclude reliable assessments * Participation in any other medical device or medicinal product study within the previous month that could influence the results of the present study

Where Is This Study? (1 UK site)

King's College Hospital

London SE5 9RS, United Kingdom

NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Site contact (verified)
Gordan Grahovac, MDgordan.grahovac@nhs.net

How to Get in Touch

Felix Thomas Thomas, PhD

Sponsor contact

CONTACT

+41 79 671 47 98 felix.thomas@aofoundation.org

Maria C Medina Giner

Sponsor contact

CONTACT

0795456120 maria.medinaginer@aofoundation.org
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov · Last verified: 2026-05