ESPE Abstracts

Introduction/Aim: Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) show alterations in infantile, childhood and pubertal growth. Growth Hormone (GH) therapy is recommended due to reported improvements in height velocity (HV) and body composition. The aim was to describe the patterns of growth in PWS and the influence of both changes in clinical practice and GH therapy.Methods: Height SDS (HSDS), BMISDS and HVSDS of children attending a dedicated PWS clinic, 200...

Background: In children with Prader–Willi Syndrome (PWS), hypothalamic dysfunction plays a key role in the development of aberrant energy regulation, sleep-related breathing disorders, hypogonadism and impaired linear growth. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis may contribute to the high incidence of sudden death. The prevalence and the extent of the dysfunction of HPA axis remain unclear.Method: Thirty-one (10M/21...

Introduction: Pubertal suppression with gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue is introduced after the onset of puberty in adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD). As puberty is a critical period for bone accrual and changes in body composition, alterations in body composition and bone mass may be observed during treatment.Methods: Thirty-eight adolescents (32/38 assigned females at birth) with GD had dual energy...

Background: Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) is clinically defined by the development of secondary sexual characteristics before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys. To date, mutations in the coding region of KISS1, KISS1R, DLK1 and MKRN3 genes have been reported as causative for CPP. This study investigated the presence of causative mutations in both the promoter and the 5'-UTR regions of the MKRN3 ...

Background: A quarter of young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) may have osteoporosis. However, children with CF do not seem to have an increased risk of fractures.Objective: We aimed to examine the factors that may determine longitudinal changes in bone mineralisation in children with CF.Method: 101 children (51 females) had DXA performed and the data were expressed as expected bone mineral content for bone area SDS (BMCSDS). Of t...

Background: Vertebral fractures (VF) are recognised as an important aspect of bone health in children and adolescents, yet most of them are not clinically apparent. The clinical utility of vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for vertebral morphometry has not been evaluated in the paediatric population.Method: VFA was performed independently by two non-radiologist observers in 110 patients (52M/58F) as part of ...

Background: Bisphosphonate therapy (BPT) reduces osteoclast activity and may be associated with adynamic bone turnover. The extent of suppression of bone turnover and its determinants are unclear.Method: Markers of bone metabolism were evaluated in 15 children (9M/6F) undergoing BPT for osteoporosis. The median age at first biochemical assessment was 10.8 years (0.16, 16.3). Serum type I collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX), alkaline phosphatase (AL...

Background: There is growing concern about the impact of eating disorders on the bone heath during adolescence where peak bone mass acquisition is of paramount importance.Method: A total of 85 patients (77F/8M, 75% anorexia nervosa(AN) and 25% atypical eating disorder), median age 15.2 years (range, 10.9–19.8) and median BMI SDS −1.3 (−4.7 to 0.8) attended the bone densitometry service between Jan 2009 and Dec 2013 for total body (TB) an...

Background: In children undergoing investigation of testicular function the relationship between serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and the testosterone response to hCG stimulation test (HST) is unclear.Method: 75 children (3F, 72M) with a median age of 1.08 years (range, 0.003, 14.3) were investigated for suspected DSD by AMH on D1 and testosterone on D1 and D4, before and after 3-day HST. Of these children, 27 had an additional prolonged HST. Normal te...

Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at increased risk of endocrinopathies; as a consequence of cranial/craniospinal radiotherapy and alkylating agents. Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction, thyroid dysfunction and gonadal failure are frequently seen.Aim: To explore the endocrine monitoring following completion of treatment for central nervous system (CNS) tumours within a regional paediatric oncology service.<...