ESPE Abstracts

Background: The average age at pubertal onset is declining worldwide which has received a lot of scientific and public attention. This secular trend is accompanied by an increasing number of children diagnosed with precocious puberty in many countries worldwide. However, there is less focus on the secular changes in the upper and lower boundaries (+/- 2 standard deviation (SD)) for pubertal onset and very little is known about whether a secular trend in the in...

Background: Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, a condition of central hypogonadism secondary to deficiency of gonadotropin releasing hormone and/or gonadotropins, is a rare disease affecting approximately 1 in 5000-15,000. A key step in improving understanding of best practice in this condition is the collection of geographically widespread data. Standardised and accessible international data collection can facilitate this, with implementation of established proto...

The activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis during the first six months of life in boys marks the period of “mini-puberty”. It is characterized by a surge of gonadotropins, testosterone, and an increase of Sertoli cells and germ cells, crucial for future reproductive capacity. Boys with severe congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) often present with undescended testes and micropenis and lack mini-puberty, leading to impaired responses t...

Introduction: Among girls assessed for pubertal precocity, pelvic ultrasound (pUS) may represent a pivotal tool to predict the time expected to elapse between sonographic assessment and the onset of menarche (TUS-M). Accordingly, the present analysis is meant to define the statistical relationship between sonographic parameters and TUS-M, in order to identify the most reliable predictor of the timing of menarche.<st...

Background: Being able to induce puberty through a short course of low-dose testosterone therapy in boys with constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) indicates a crucial interaction between testosterone and androgen receptor (AR) during the activation and maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis at the onset of puberty. Previous studies have indicated an inverse association between the CAG repeat length and the transactivation function o...

Introduction: Idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP) is frequently associated with psychological issues.Materials and Methods: The study comprised 21 cases with CPP and their parents, as well as 22 healthy controls and their parents. All participants underwent the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime (KSADS-PL) during psychiatric evaluation. Additionally, patients completed ...

Introduction: Pituitary gigantism in children is a rare condition that results from excessive production of growth hormone (GH). The most common cause of gigantism is GH secreting pituitary adenomas, thart arise from excessive proliferation of somatotropic cells in the anterior portion of the pituitary gland. The described pediatric incidence is 3-8 cases per 1 million population. There are genetic syndromes associated with GH excess, especially in pediatric p...

Introduction: Craniopharyngioma (CP) is a rare and highly recurrent tumor with no available nationwide data.Objective: This retrospective study aims to characterize patients with CP treated at a national referral center.Methods: Clinical records of patients aged 18 years or younger diagnosed with CP were analyzed. Data including clinical presentation, biochemical profiles, MRI find...

Background: Puberty is a crucial developmental stage marked by the transition from childhood to adulthood, organized by complex hormonal signaling within the neuroendocrine system. The hypothalamus, a central region in this system, regulates pubertal functions through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, essential in puberty control, release GnRH in a pulsatile manner, initiating the production of sex ho...