PURPOSE: The incidence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has rapidly 
increased, and with it, physician consultations and expenditures (about one and 
a half times) in the last 5 years. Recent etiological studies reveal that AIS is 
a complex genetic disorder that results from the interaction of multiple gene 
loci and the environment. For personalized treatment of AIS, a tool that can 
accurately measure the progression of Cobb's angle would be of great use. Gene 
analysis utilizing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been developed as a 
diagnostic tool for use in Caucasians but not Koreans. Therefore, we attempted 
to reveal AIS-related genes and their relevance in Koreans, exploring the 
potential use of gene analysis as a diagnostic tool for personalized treatment 
of AIS therein.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 68 Korean AIS and 35 age- and sex-matched, 
healthy adolescents were enrolled in this study and were examined for 10 
candidate scoliosis gene SNPs.
RESULTS: This study revealed that the SNPs of rs2449539 in lysosomal-associated 
transmembrane protein 4 beta (LAPTM4B) and rs5742612 in upstream and 
insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) were associated with both susceptibility to 
and curve severity in AIS. The results suggested that both LAPTM4B and IGF1 
genes were important in AIS predisposition and progression.
CONCLUSION: Thus, on the basis of this study, if more SNPs or candidate genes 
are studied in a larger population in Korea, personalized treatment of Korean 
AIS patients might become a possibility.