ESPE Abstracts

Background: The age of onset of puberty is known to be influenced by poorly understood genetic and environmental factors. Familial forms of precocious puberty suggest the involvement of autosomal genetic factors.Objective and hypotheses: We evaluated the mode of inheritance of precocious puberty in a large series of familial cases of both central precocious puberty (CPP) and advanced puberty.Method: A retrospective, single-centre s...

MYRF is known to regulate the myelination of the central nervous system and mice with a conditional deletion of MYRF in oligodendrocyte precursors has anomalies of motor skill. Recently, several loss-of-function and missense mutations in MYRF have been reported in association with syndromic forms of congenital heart disease (CHD) with elements of Scimitar syndrome and/or with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). In most 46,XY individuals a range of...

Background: The genetic causes of disorders of sex development (DSD) are difficult to identify since these conditions are refractory to classic genetic approaches. In particular the underlying genetic mutations of most cases of 46,XY DSD is unknown.Objective and hypotheses: Using an exome sequencing approach we aimed to identify new genetic factors involved in 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis.Method: Exon enrichment was performed using Agi...

Background: Since the publication of international growth charts by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006, the use of national growth charts for growth monitoring (GM) has been questioned.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the potential impact of using WHO vs. national growth charts on the performance of a clinical decision rule for detecting children with one of the target conditions of GM: GH deficiency (GHD).Method: In ...

Background: In industrialised countries, the main goal of growth monitoring (GM) of apparently healthy children is the early detection of severe underlying conditions. However, empirical evidence suggests globally poor performances of GM, with important diagnosis delays for priority target conditions and many unnecessary referrals for diagnostic work-up for disease-free children.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate and to compare the performance for ear...

Background: The side chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) catalyzes the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone, the first rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis. CYP11A1 mutations are associate with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) and, in 46,XY patients, Disorders of Sex Development (DSD). A total of 35 patients (27 families) are reported including 15 intermediate forms with delayed onset of PAI, variable degrees of DSD or normal male phenotype.<p class="abstext"...

Background: Genetic causes of central precocious puberty (CPP) has been increasingly recognized, extending our knowledge of the triggering factors of human pubertal timing. Distinct etiologies remain to be elucidated in sporadic and familial cases. Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) is a chromatin-associated protein that can activate or repress gene transcription, playing a role in neuronal maturation. It is encoded by MECP2 gene located at chromoso...

XY individuals with Disorders/Differences of Sex development (DSD) are characterized by reduced androgenization caused, in some children, by gonadal dysgenesis or, more rarely, testis regression during early fetal development. The genetic etiology for most patients with 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis and for all patients with testicular regression syndrome (TRS) is unknown. Identification of novel genes involved in DSD is crucial for providing an accurate clinical diagnosis, aiding ...