ESPE Abstracts

Background: Congenital diabetes insipidus (DI) can be due to mutations in the arginine vasopressin (AVP) gene (familial neurohypophyseal DI), the AVP receptor type 2 (AVPR2) or aquaporin 2 (AQP2) genes (congenital nephrogenic DI, NDI). The clinical manifestation of congenital NDI, especially the response to AVP, can vary greatly depending on the functional effect of the AVPR2 mutation. Here we present two male siblings with NDI and partial response to ddAVP.<p class="abste...

Background: DICER1, a ribonuclease, cleaves non-coding small RNA precursors to generate mature microRNAs (miRNAs), of ~21 nucleotides in length. MiRNAs alter gene expression post-transcriptionally by directly binding to mRNA transcripts and subsequently down-regulating gene expression. It is estimated that expression of ~30–70% of all mammalian protein-coding genes are regulated in this manner.Method: Sequencing of DICER1 in various tumors, accompan...

The human adrenal cortex produces a wide range of steroids that includes aldosterone, cortisol and a variety of 19 carbon (C19) steroids; the most studied being DHEA. In humans, adrenarche is the endocrine developmental process manifested by an increased adrenal output of DHEA. This phenomenon corresponds with the expansion of the zona reticularis of the adrenal gland. However, the physiological mechanisms that trigger adrenarche remain elusive. Our research focuses...

Metformin was the first and only drug approved in 1999 for use in youth with type 2 diabetes (T2D) based on a small, randomized clinical trial. Insulin was also approved but this was based only on the effective use of insulin in children with T1D. For more than 20 years, no new drugs had been approved for use in pediatric T2D based on a randomized study. A major reason why many of the new drugs have not been approved in pediatrics is that adolescents with T2D are difficult to ...

Background: Williams Syndrome (WS) is a multisystemic genetic syndrome, which includes characteristic appearance of “elfian face”, growth retardation, mild mental retardation, hypersociality, infantile hypercalcemia, and other endocrine, cardiovascular, and urinary abnormalities. WS is caused by the microdeletion of chromosome 7q11.23; it is usually sporadic but rare autosomal dominant familial cases have been reported in the literature. We present a boy and his moth...

Background: Hypophysitis is an uncommon inflammatory disorder of the pituitary gland and is classified both clinically (Primary vs secondary) and histologically (lymphocytic, granulomatous or xanthomatous). Primary hypophysitis is exceptionally rare in the paediatric population with only a few cases reported, the majority being Lymphocytic Hypophysitis.Case Report: We present the case of a previously healthy 14-year-old ...

Background: 15% of patients with Williams syndrome develop hypercalcemia that is described as mild and transient. There are, however, reported cases with severe hypercalcemia that did not respond to traditional therapy. Pamidronate was used in the treatment of this condition, and was successful in the few reported cases in the literature.Case presentation: We report a 9 month old female who presented with failure to thrive, polyuria and polydipsia. She h...

Background: Despite the multiple endocrine, cardiovascular, and gastroenterologic problems of patients with Williams-Beuren Syndrome (WBS), Studies considering metabolism and bone quality in WBS are almost entirely absent from the literature.Objective and hypotheses: We evaluate bone mineral status and metabolism in a cohort of patients with WBS.Method: Thirty-one children (15 females, 16 male...

Background: Thyroid disorders (subclinical hypothyroidism and structural abnormalities) are common in Williams syndrome (WS) patients.Objective and hypotheses: Central hypothyroidism and GH deficiency (GHD) in a WS patient are discussed.Method: Case report and literature review.Results: A 5-month-old male was admitted to our hospital because of growth failure since the 3rd month, mild dysmorphisms, micropenis...

Background: WBS is a rare genetic disorder characterized by distinctive facial features, intellectual disability, cardiovascular anomalies, and infantile hypercalcemia.Objective and hypotheses: Majority of WBS cases occur sporadically, only five families with clinically confirmed WBS have been identified by molecular cytogenetic analysis. Here, we report on the three molecular cytogenetically confirmed familial WBS detected in a family with familial shor...