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Blood markers to predict recovery after spinal cord injury

Studies blood markers NF-L and GFAP for predicting outcomes in people with spinal cord injury.

Key facts

Who runs it
AO Foundation, AO Spine
Where
Milwaukee, United StatesSee the siteAlso in 7 other countries, 7 sites
Trial code
Registry title
The International Spinal Cord Injury Blood Biomarker Longitudinal Evaluation (I-SCRIBBLE) Study
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
260 people, planned
Started
9 Feb 2026
Expected to end
1 Dec 2029
Type of study
Observational, 2 groups
Record updated
1 October 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults with a recent blunt spinal cord injury, to test if blood markers predict recovery at 6 months. It also takes people with a spine fracture or dislocation but no spinal cord injury, as a comparison group.

Age
19 years or older.
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
Blunt (not penetrating) injury to the spinal cord, complete (AIS grade A) or incomplete (AIS grade B, C or D), at spine level C0 to L1. Comparison group: spine fracture or dislocation between C0 and L1 without spinal cord injury. The first blood sample must be taken within 24 hours of the injury.
Earlier treatment
People treated with or without surgery can join.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Penetrating spinal cord injury, such as a gunshot or stab wound
  • A spinal cord injury in the past
  • Injury only below L1, nerve root injury only without fracture, or cauda equina injury only
  • Known multiple sclerosis
  • Known blood clot disease or bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 20 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Age ≥ 19 years
  • Blunt (non-penetrating) traumatic SCI
  • Baseline neurologic impairment deemed "complete" (AIS grade A) or "incomplete" (AIS grade B, C, or D) based on clinical history/examination and/or diagnostic imaging
  • Bony spinal level involvement between C0 and L1, inclusive
  • Ability to have initial blood sample drawn within 24 hours of injury
  • Treated either surgically or non-surgically
  • Ability to provide informed consent according to the IRB/EC defined and approved procedures
  • Age ≥ 19 years
  • Traumatic spinal fracture and/or dislocation between C0 and L1 (inclusive) without SCI
  • Treated either surgically or nonsurgically
  • Ability to have initial blood sample drawn within 24 hours of injury
  • Ability to provide informed consent according to the IRB/EC defined and approved procedures

Who cannot take part

  • Previous SCI
  • Preexisting thromboembolic disease or coagulopathy (disorders related to blood clotting), such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease
  • Patients who in the investigator's opinion will not be compliant with the study procedures and patients who have any other conditions/injuries that in the investigator's opinion would render the study procedures dangerous
  • Penetrating SCI (eg, gunshot, stab)
  • Isolated spinal injury below L1
  • Isolated radiculopathy without fracture
  • Isolated cauda equina injury
  • Patients with known diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

Where in United States

Also in 7 other countries, 7 sites

  • Medical College of WisconsinMilwaukee, United StatesContact: Aditya VedantamTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

To determine the accuracy of serum NF-L and GFAP levels (ie the biomarkers) at different time points postinjury for predicting the severity of neurologic impairment at 6 months postinjury as either motor complete (AIS grade A/B) or motor incomplete (AIS grade C/D) a group of patients who suffer traumatic spinal fracture and/or dislocation of the spinal column but without neurologic injury will be enrolled as non-SCI spine trauma control participants.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • SCI patients

    Patients with traumatic SCI

  • Non-SCI patients (control group)

    Non-SCI spine trauma control participants

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

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Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
The International Spinal Cord Injury Blood Biomarker Longitudinal Evaluation (I-SCRIBBLE) Study
Plain-language title
Blood markers to predict recovery after spinal cord injuryGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Record updated
1 October 2026