ESPE Abstracts

Background: Achondroplasia (ACH) is a rare genetic condition caused by a gain-of-function variant in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene. It results in severe disproportionate short stature and medical complications requiring multidisciplinary care. Vosoritide, a C-type natriuretic peptide analogue, is currently the only approved targeted treatment for children with ACH from birth to epiphyseal closure. Understanding real-world ACH management ...

Background: The diagnosis of turner syndrome (TS) must be included in the differential diagnosis of all girls with short stature. Despite overall earlier diagnosis and treatment there still remain patients with TS who present late with delayed puberty. Although growth hormone (GH) is known to increase final height (FH) in girls with TS, little evidence exists on treatment in late-presenting girls.Objective and hypotheses: To assess the effect of late GH ...

Background/Aim: Leucocyte telomere length (LTL) is a robust marker of biological aging and is associated with obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors even in childhood and adolescence. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a structured, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, personalized, lifestyle intervention program of healthy diet and physical exercise on LTL in children and adolescents with overweight and obese.Materi...

Introduction: An association between the ketogenic diet (KD) and hypercalcaemia has been suggested in one case series of three children1, where hypercalcaemia occurred within 12 months of starting KD. We describe a case where severe hypercalcaemia occurs after four years on KD.Case: A 5.5-year-old boy is referred for hypercalcaemia in context of early sepsis and a background of Dynamin-1 gene mutation causing ...

Background: Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of acquired hypothyroidism worldwide but rare in developed countries. Incidence of iodine deficiency may be rising due to increased popularity of vegan diets. There is minimal information on official health promotional webpages alerting to this risk.Case presentation: We present a 2.5yr old boy and his 6yr old sister from a family who adhere to a strict vegan diet and additional dietary restriction i...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the commonest cause of persistent hypoglycaemia and is due to the unregulated secretion of insulin from the pancreatic β-cells. The role of glucagon like peptide-1, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GLP1/GIP), and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), is currently unknown in patients with CHI.Objective and Hypotheses: To understand the expression pattern of DPP4 in focal and diffuse disease CHI.<p class="ab...

Background: Patients who present with clinical and laboratory findings of pituitary dysfunction and whose MRI findings reveal increased pituitary size or thickening of pituitary stalk, pose a diagnostic challenge. The differential diagnosis mainly includes dysgerminoma, histiocytosis, and hypophysitis. A non-invasive approach is often non-diagnostic.Objective and hypotheses: To present two patients with similar clinical picture and positive MRI findings,...

Background: Obesity in childhood and adolescence represents a major health problem and its management requires a multidisciplinary approach.Objective and hypotheses: To assess the main eating habits of children and adolescents attending an Out-patient Clinic for the Prevention and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Greece, as recorded before implementing any intervention.Method: We studied 1005 children and adolescents [age ra...

Background: Vertebral changes such as biconcave end plate depressions are well described in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). However, as vertebral height reductions are a marker of osteoporosis in children, we aimed to determine whether these could present underlying osteoporosis, by performing transiliac bone biopsies in two patients.Case 1: A 13-year-old female with SCD, presented with back pain. She had delaye...

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) often suffer from back pain and present with vertebral changes, but the use of bisphosphonates is poorly reported. We present our experience on treating six children with SCD with Zoledronate in a tertiary paediatric endocrinology and haematology centre.Population: Six children with SCD were treated with zoledronate infusions between the years 2016-2021. All children had a history of significant mi...