ESPE Abstracts

The human fetal adrenal comprises the fetal zone which produces adrenal androgens (predominantly DHEA and DHEAS) and the definitive zone which will give rise to the adult adrenal cortex after birth. Together with the fetal liver and the placenta, it forms the fetal-placental unit which produces a variety of estrogens from androgen precursors. Although steroid production by the fetal adrenal seems not essential for fetal survival during pregnancy, steroid biosynthetic defects (...

Background: In Indonesia clinical management of DSD is challenged by limited knowledge and diagnostic and treatment facilities.Objective and hypotheses: We investigated patients’ experiences of being raised in physical ambiguity and doubts about gender and it’s consequences on gender development, social stigmatization, and quality of life.Method: 118 Indonesian patients, age 6–41, with 46,XX DSD (n=27), 46,X...

Background: The European Programme on Cooperation of Science and Technology (COST) funds the formation of networking activities with Horizon 2020. In November 2013, the COST Action DSDnet was started and currently 22 European countries as well as six additional partner countries participate. The EU plans to instal European Reference Networks (ERN) by 2016 for defined rare conditions.Objective and hypotheses: DSDnet encompasses five working groups (WGs) w...

Background: Whilst adhering to the highest standards of data governance and security, the International DSD Registry (www.i-dsd.org) and the International CAH Registry (www.i-cah.org) allow standardised collection of data and promote multicentre collaboration across national boundaries and across multiple clinical and research disciplines.Results: By April 2015, over 1600 cases had bee...

DSD-LIFE is a comprehensive clinical outcome study investigating medical, surgical, psychosocial, and ethical issues to improve treatment and care of patients with the different diagnoses included in the umbrella term disorders/differences of sex development (DSD). The multidisciplinary DSD-LIFE consortium consists of 15 experienced European scientists in the areas endocrinology, psychology, surgery, gynaecology, urology, and ethics. In 2013 the study protocol and the online d...