ESPE Abstracts

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) and related disorders lead to a wide spectrum of abnormal physical characteristics, neurocognitive and endocrine abnormalities. PHP (including all subtypes), pseudoPHP, acrodysostosis and progressive osseous heteroplasia refer to heterogeneous disorders characterized by physical findings, differently associated in each subtype, including short bones, short stature, stocky build, subcutaneous ectopic ossifications, as well as laboratory abnormalit...

Introduction: Hyperinsulinism–Hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome is a rare autosomal disease characterized by episodes of hypoglycemia related to consumption of high-protein containing foods or fasting with associated hyperammonemia secondary to an activating mutation in the GLUD1 gene. It often remains unrecognized until later in childhood because symptomatic episodes can be misinterpreted as epilepsy if patterns of hypoglycemia with fasting and protein-rich meals are not i...

Background: A 33-year-old woman with a history of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), surgically treated aged 4, presented for prenatal screening at 20 weeks gestation. Ultrasound examination identified that the female foetus had a 3-cm adrenal lesion. She had a positive family history for multiple-endocrine-neoplasia-type 2/MEN2 (paternal grandmother) and her father’s cousin was diagnosed with ACC and Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) at 30 year old. Calcitonin, PTH and cathecholam...

Introduction: Glucocorticoid replacement has been the main focus of research in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). However, few studies have focused on mineralocorticoid replacement.Aim: Evaluation of mineralocorticoid replacement in a large cohort (n=124) with CAH recruited retrospectively over a 10-year (2010-2020) period.Methods: We recruited 124patients (71female, 5...

Background: Thickening of the Pituitary Stalk (TPS) and/or Central Diabetes Insipidus (CDI) can occour in isolation or synchronously/metachronously in the same patient. Due to their rarity and wide spectrum of underlying aetiologies they represent a diagnostic and management conundrum.Aim: To develop a high-quality national multidisciplinary guideline for the assessment and management of children and young people (CYP) before their 19th birthd...

Background: The Low dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST) is an important investigation for suspected Cushing’s Syndrome (CS). The traditional definition of normal suppression of serum cortisol to ≤50 nmol/l during the LDDST (0.5 mg 6 hrly × 48 h) comes from a time when biochemical autoanalysers did not routinely detect very low values. Previous studies reported 5.1–8.3% of patients with Cushing’s Disease (CD) suppressed to <50 nmol/l at 48 ...

Background: Due to the rarity of Paediatric Cushing’s disease (CD) there is limited data on the long-term consequences of treatment.Objective and hypotheses: We assessed recurrence, anterior pituitary function and psychiatric disorders in a group of paediatric CD patients treated in a single centre.Method: Retrospective review of 20 patients with CD, mean age 11.75 years (5.74–17.8), managed in our centre between 1986 and...

Background: Cushing’s syndrome (CS) in children remains a challenge to diagnose and exclude. Published diagnostic guidelines for CS are heavily based upon adult data. The use of 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC) measurements in the diagnosis of adult CS may have limited use. There is little data on the utility of 24-h UFC in children.Objective and hypotheses: We hypothesised that 24-h UFC is a robust and reliable screening test in children. The study...

Background: The COVID-19 crisis required paediatric endocrinologists to rapidly adopt telehealth into their clinical practice. Accurate auxology is a cornerstone of paediatric endocrinology care and is needed to monitor growth and guide medication changes. Remote consultations depend upon parent-reported measurements. However, home height measurements are often inaccurate.Aim: We designed a quality improvement study with...

Aims: Although rare, craniopharyngiomas are the commonest suprasellar tumour in childhood. Despite high overall survival, children and young people <19 years with craniopharyngiomas are at risk of multiple relapses and long-term tumour- and treatment-related neuroendocrine, cognitive and visual morbidity. A recent international survey highlighted the considerable variation in management strategies employed for these tumours, and the lack of any evidence- a...