ESPE Abstracts

Background: Growth Hormone Insensitivity (GHI) is characterised by short stature and functional IGF-I deficiency associated with normal/elevated GH levels. Marked genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity exist, and heritable defects in GH-IGF-I axis genes/associated pathways account for mild-moderate to severe GHI cases. We report twin brothers from a non-consanguineous kindred who present with short stature and bi-allelic mutations in QSOX2 encoding the nuclear m...

Background: Pathogenic IGFI gene mutations causing childhood growth failure are rare. Only 5 autosomal recessive mutations, one IGFI copy number variant and 2 heterozygous frameshift mutations are reported. Heterozygous missense IGFI mutations have not previously been described.Objectives: To identify and functionally characterise a novel missense IGFI variant in a patient with postnat...

Background: Growth hormone insensitivity (GHI) encompasses normal/elevated growth hormone (GH), low IGF-I levels and growth restriction. Non-classical/mild-moderate GHI is an emerging entity which is poorly characterised, and, in many subjects, the underlying cause is unclear. Heterozygous dominant negative (DN) variants located in the intracellular/transmembrane domain of the GH receptor (GHR) cause a ‘non-classical’ GHI phenotype.<p class="abst...

Background: Noonan Syndrome (NS) can overlap clinically and biochemically with growth hormone insensitivity [GHI; short stature (SS), low IGF-I and normal/elevated GH levels]. Mutations in multiple genes regulating RAS/MAPK pathway have been identified in NS including LZTR1 variants. Function of LZTR1 is poorly understood and its role in growth retardation is unknown.Objectives: To functionally characte...

Background: Throughout 2020 telemedicine was rapidly deployed across health services and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, replaced many face-to-face (FTF) medical consultations. Children and young people (CYP) with diabetes present a unique opportunity for this type of consultation, due to the ability to interpret and share glucose data via other platforms. This study describes both CYP and parent experience of a new telemedicine service for CYP with diabetes.</...

The experiences of older adults with Variations in Sex Characteristics (VSC or Differences/Disorders in Sex Development/DSD) are well documented. However there has been a gap in the literature with respect to representing the voices of younger people. This qualitative research study has been conducted in collaboration with Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand. Ten young people with VSC were recruited via health professionals, intersex advocates, support groups and social media ...

Introduction: Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires appropriate diagnosis and treatment. The most common cause of PAI is congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), but other well-established aetiologies include metabolic and autoimmune disorders, and physical damage. Mutations in more than 30 genes have now been associated with PAI, with considerable biochemical and phenotypic overlap. It is therefore importan...

The extent and quality of parental care that children receive greatly influences their development, impacting their physical and psychological growth, their educational and social achievement, and their disease risk as both children and adults. It is thus remarkable that around 25% of children are physically abused worldwide. Parenting is a complex behavior, and we still know little about the causes and mechanisms by which people differ in their parental behaviors. To learn mo...

Background: Microdeletions of the chromosomal region 2q31.1 are rare. Growth retardation is reported in the majority of these patients, but information about growth hormone status is not given in the literature. Other typical features in 2q31.1 deletion syndrome are developmental delay, limb abnormalities, short palpebral fissures, heart defects, among others.Objective and hypotheses: A 12 year old girl presented at the age of 7 years with severe growth ...

Introduction: Diazoxide is the first-line drug for Hyperinsulinemia-Hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome, a disease due to a mutation in the glutamate dehydrogenase-1 (GLUD1) gene.Diazoxide, an opener of the pancreatic β-cells KATP-channels reducing insulin release, is uncommonly associated with thrombocytopaenia.Aim: We describe a toddler with HI/HA syndrome who developed thrombocytopaenia on diazoxide treatment.<p ...