ESPE Abstracts

Background: Childhood pineal and/or suprasellar intracranial germ cell tumours (IGCT) are highly curable (>90%) with neuraxial radiation alone; international (SIOP) trials have aimed to decrease late radiation-induced neuroendocrine morbidity by substituting chemotherapy. However, without longitudinal study, disease and treatment contributions to long term outcomes remain unknown.Objective: To define tumour and treatment factors implicated in neuroen...

Background: PanEuropean(SIOP) trials of treatment for childhood brain cancers (medulloblastomas/PNET) showed a 5% survival advantage with ‘sandwich’ gonadotoxic chemotherapy (CT) over surgical excision, neuraxial radiation and tumour boost (RT) alone. But this was tempered by a reduced quality of survival at 7 years.Objective: To assess the long term prevalence of subfertility after CT with/without neuraxial radiation.<p class="a...

Background: Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) is a congenital condition with high morbidity. Many children with ONH will develop pituitary hormone dysfunction (PHD), but it is unknown if, or when, this will occur.Objective and hypotheses: Our primary objective was to identify the type, timing and predictors of PHD in children with ONH to help guide the necessity and frequency for pituitary hormone testing.Method: A retrospective chart r...

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in childhood and can induce pituitary defects. Long-term endocrine consequences are missing.Objective and hypotheses: To determine in a prospective way if pediatric patients with a personal history of TBI developed long term pituitary deficiency independently of the results of the early hormonal investigation.Method: Prospective follow-up of an initial cohort of subjects (0–15...

Background: Craniopharyngiomas are the commonest pituitary tumours of childhood. Though benign histologically, their localisation and invasive tendency can cause significant neuroendocrine morbidity and late mortality.Objective and hypotheses: To prospectively determine risk factors for neuroendocrine morbidity by longitudinal survival analysis.Method: All children with craniopharyngioma newly presenting to our quaternary centre be...

Background: Growth monitoring of apparently healthy children aims at early detection of severe underlying conditions. Strong empirical evidence shows that current practices of growth monitoring are suboptimal. Practice standardisation with validated tools requires answering two questions: Which conditions should be targeted? How should abnormal growth be defined?Objective and hypotheses: To obtain consensus on a short list of priority target conditions o...

Background: Isolated growth hormone deficiency is the most common pituitary hormone deficiency, although the majority of cases are idiopathic. The presence of pituitary structural abnormalities may influence growth hormone (GH) deficiency severeness.Objective: Assess the effect of pituitary abnormalities in idiopathic isolated growth hormone deficiency (IIGHD).Methods: We analysed 65 children with IIGHD and pituitary magnetic resso...

Background: Childhood NT1 has been associated with endocrine disorders like obesity and precocious puberty. These comorbidities may challenge the diagnosis, require tailored treatments and call for a multidisciplinary approach.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the impact of type 1 narcolepsy (NT1) on anthropometric and endocrine features in childhood/adolescence, focusing on weight, pubertal development and growth, and their follow up in treated and ...