ESPE Abstracts

Background: Despite neonatal screening, children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) may still display behavioural problems such as inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity and restlessness.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of present study was to evaluate attention and sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms in 32 children with CH compared to 32 matched healthy controls.Method: The study population consisted of 32 CH children a...

Background: The effects of GH deficiency (GHD) and GH replacement therapy (GHRT) on body composition and functional measures of physical fitness are largely unknown particularly in children.Study aim: To evaluate body composition, muscular strength and flexibility, and exercise tolerance in GHD children at baseline and after one-year GHRT.Patients and methods: We enrolled 19 children and adolescents with untreated ...

Aims: The balance between hypo/hypercortisolism and hypo/hyperandrogenism is the main challenge in clinical management of patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OH-D). In adults, it has been established that both over and under-treatment might lead to the development cardiovascular risk factors. To date, only a few studies have addressed weather this risk begins in childhood. Aim of our study is to define the presence of early metabolic risk factors preval...

Background: GnRH-analogs (GnRHa) are the recommended treatment for Central Precocious Puberty (CPP). Despite a normal long-term outcome is generally reported, reproductive function and emotional sphere in adulthood are still poorly evaluated.Objective: To evaluate the general long-term outcome of young women with previous CPP treated with GnRHa.Patients and Methods: A cohort of 63 ...

Background: Thyroid hormone plays a key role in bone mineral homeostasis and significant alterations in its circulating levels have been associated with an impairment in skeletal growth during childhood. To date, the effects of subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) on bones have not been studied and the management of this condition is still debated.Aim: To evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) in children with mild, persistent S...

Background: The management of subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is still challenging in particular for mild forms with TSH levels ranging between 4.5 and 10 mU/L.Objective and hypotheses: to compare left ventricular (LV) geometry and function of SH subjects and matched euthyroid controls, and to evaluate the effect of L-thyroxine (L-T4) therapy on cardiac parameters.Method: Thirty-six (36) children (19 females and 17 males), aged 8.6...

Background: It had never been investigated to now whether the course of thyroid function in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) may differ in the children who had presented with either euthyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism (SH).Objective and hypotheses: To establish, by means of a 5-year prospective evaluation of 234 children with HT and no prognostic risk factors, whether thyroid status evolution over time may be conditioned by the biochemical patter...

Background: The benefits of levothyroxine (L-T4) therapy in subjects with mild SH (TSH between 5 and 10 mU/l with normal FT4 values) are controversial. Current recommendations in adults suggest to start on treatment selected groups of subjects with mild SH and evidence of atherosclerotic CV disease. Data in children are lacking.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the effect of L-T4 treat...

Introduction: Familial glucocorticoid deficiency (FGD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by ACTH-resistant isolated cortisol deficiency. FGD usually presents with hypoglycemia, convulsions, prolonged jaundice, and marked skin hyperpigmentation in the early period of life. Several defects in MC2R, MRAP, MCM4, NNT, and TXNRD2 genes are related to FGD. In all these situations, plasma ACTH is high. By contrast, all reported cases of glucocorticoi...

Objectives: Among adverse effects of GH, a particular attention should be given to glucose homeostasis. The aim of the study was evaluate the effect of GH therapy on glucose homeostasis in children with GHD after 10 years of treatment.Methods: 30 patients (8 M/22 F, age 7.00 ± 2.61 years) with GHD at diagnosis and 30 healthy children comparable to patients for age, sex and BMI were enrolled. Glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR ...