ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Neonatal ambiguous genitalia can herald sensitive, time-critical, and life-threatening diagnoses and thus paediatric doctors must be competent in their management. However, ambiguous genitalia are rare, limiting clinical exposure. We assessed paediatric doctors’ experience of, knowledge of, and confidence in managing this condition.Methods: A questionnaire was circulated to paediatric doctors at two tertiary and four secondary level pa...

Background: Rates of pediatric obesity are on a concerning upward trajectory globally, with the prevalence approaching 1 in 5 children and adolescents aged 2-19 years in the United States. As a direct consequence of this obesity surge, we will continue to experience a substantial adult cardiometabolic burden. Although public health measures to optimize lifestyle interventions and reduce culpable environmental exposures are the primary target for governments an...

Background: Maternal diabetes is a pathologic state that increases the incidence of complications in both the mother and the foetus. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) may exhibit reproductive abnormalities, including PCOS and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Diabetes during pregnancy is an endocrine disruptor and studies performed in animal models have shown abnormalities in gonadal function in the offspring, but it is unknown whether pre-gestational (PGDM) and gestational di...

Background: Recent studies in multiple models of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have demonstrated the role of mitochondrial abnormalities in the pathogenesis of this disease and its complications. Humanin is a potent cyto-protective and ‘metaboloprotective’ molecule in vitro and in vivo, including the protection of β cells from apoptosis, improvements in insulin secretion and action, and both prevention and treatment of diabetes in the NOD mou...

Introduction: The metabolic effects of oral hormonal contraception (OC) on telomere length (RTL) in young women with T1D are unknown.Objective: To determine the effect of using an OC on glycemic control, inflammatory profile, and RTL in young women with T1D and healthy women without diabetes (C).Methodology: T1D (n:20, age: 20.6 ± 3.3 years) and C (n:22, age 20.2 ± 3 years) u...

Background: Thyroid imaging is recommended to determine the aetiology of congenital hypothyroidism (CHT). Currently scintigraphy is the gold standard imaging modality. Negative scinitigraphy despite the presence of thyroid tissue may lead to a spurious diagnosis of athyreosis. Few centres routinely perform both scinitgraphy and ultrasound so that the incidence of misclassified athyreosis is unknown.Aim: To describe the incidence of sonographically normal...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of persistent hypoglycaemia in the neonatal period, characterized by unregulated insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells. In addition to medical therapy, frequent feeding to prevent hypoglycaemia is one of the most important aspects in the management of CHI.Objective and hypotheses: To identify the number of patients with CHI who have associated feeding difficulties and determine ...

Introduction: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is associated with long-term health problems. However, little is known about co-morbidities and their onset in children and young persons (CYP).Objective: To establish the health status of CYP with CAH across the United Kingdom.Methods: A multi-centre prospective study recruited 102 patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency targeting...

Introduction: Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) have specific plasma and urinary steroid patterns, with 11-oxygenatedC19 steroids established as key adrenal-specific androgens. Monitoring glucocorticoid (GC) replacement remains a challenge in the absence of reliable biomarkers.Aim: To reassess the urinary steroid profile of children with CAH in relation to plasma ...

Background: Genetic causes of central precocious puberty (CPP) has been increasingly recognized, extending our knowledge of the triggering factors of human pubertal timing. Distinct etiologies remain to be elucidated in sporadic and familial cases. Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) is a chromatin-associated protein that can activate or repress gene transcription, playing a role in neuronal maturation. It is encoded by MECP2 gene located at chromoso...