ESPE Abstracts

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...

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...

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: 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...

Background: DICER1 syndrome is caused by germline mutations in the DICER1 gene. It is associated with a wide spectrum of benign and malignant neoplasms, which are accompanied by specific somatic mutations in DICER1. Multinodular goiter (MNG) is a common clinical feature of DICER1 syndrome in children and adults; the thyroid ultrasound (US) features of MNG in the setting of DICER1 syndrome have not been widely reported.<...

Case reports: Patient 1 was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome (WS) when she was 11 years-old. She presented typical facial features, mental retardation (IQ 34) and chronic constipation. Pregnancy and neonatal period were unremarkable. Her growth has always been satisfying. No cardiac defects were detected at echocardiogram. Cerebral MRI showed enlarged pituitary (height of 9 mm) in the contest of which a mass with suprasellar extension was detected. Thyroid and adrenal...