ESPE Abstracts

Previous studies have shown that poor adherence to recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH; Saizen®) therapy is associated with decreased efficacy outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Easypod™ is the only electronic injection device that enables continuous monitoring of adherence to treatment. Early recognition of non-adherence is essential in the management of long-term outcomes of r-hGH therapy. This analysis aimed to evaluate adherence to r-hGH therapy adminis...

Background: Concerns about a child's growth are one of the most common topics parents express during pediatric visits and are a leading cause for referral to a pediatric endocrinologist. For the general pediatric, when short stature is diagnosed, its clinical management remains a challenge.Objective: The aim of the study was to approach and understand the perception from the general pediatrician about short stature,...

Background: Prediction models demonstrate potential in predicting growth in patients receiving recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) for growth disorders. However, considerable information from patients is needed to calculate a predicted growth curve. The curve matching technique only requires height data. This technique identifies growth curves that are similar (matched) among real-world patients within a database. The growth curves of these ‘matched...

Poor adherence to long-term growth hormone (GH) treatment can lead to suboptimal clinical outcomes. The easypod™ connect eHealth platform enables healthcare professionals to obtain an accurate picture of real-world adherence by allowing patients to transmit adherence data to a database. Our aims were to assess adherence to r-hGH (Saizen, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) treatment with the easypod connect platform in children from treatment start to 48 months and to investi...

Introduction: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is the most frequent endocrine deficit in childhood survivors of brain tumours. However, there is insufficient evidence to guide the timing of growth hormone replacement (GHR). At Great Ormond Street Hospital timing is based on clinical need rather than in relation to oncological treatment. Therefore, sufficient variability in GHR timing is available to analyze its effect on tumour progression and recurrence.<p...

Introduction: Growth hormone excess (GHE) in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) has been reported in some sporadic cases. Whether GHE stimulates progressive optic pathway glioma (OPG) growth is of concern. The prevalence of GHE in NF-1 has not been described and the scheme treatment has not been well characterized.Objective: To describe in children with NF-1/OPG and GH excess the treatment regimen and long term response to long- acting octeotr...

The easypod™ electromechanical injection in combination with the easypod Connect platform electronically records and transmits, in real time, accurate, objective records of the date, time and dose injected for patients receiving Growth Hormone (GH) for growth disorders, limiting the risk of misreporting and allowing physicians to accurately monitor patient behavior.The aim was to study individual patterns of adherence from start treatment up to 24 m...

Background: Small for gestational age (SGA) children who experience rapid and exaggerated postnatal catch-up are prone to develop insulin resistance and to progress faster into puberty, resulting in a shorter final height. Short, non-catch-up SGA children treated with recombinant human GH (rhGH) may present with the same sequence. In a previous controlled study from our group performed in short SGA children, metformin – added to rhGH therapy – improved endocrine-meta...

Background: GH deficiency (GHD) occurs due to different aetiologies, morphological abnormalities in pituitary, or mutations leading the individual to lose the genetic growth potential. The pituitary dysfunction can be as GHD alone or associated with other hormones deficiencies. Patients with abnormalities in pituitary may present a greater height loss than others and couldn’t reach the target height (TH) according to final height (FH).Objectives: To...

Background: A growth prediction model would not only allow patients with growth disorders the opportunity to see the expected effect of their recombinant human growth hormone (r hGH) treatment, but also support healthcare professionals to individualise treatment to optimise growth outcomes.Aim: To develop a growth prediction model in children with growth disorders.Patients and Methods: Height and c...