ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: In children, estradiol (E2) concentrations are 1000-times lower in comparison to their precursors, the androgens. Depending on sex, age, and pathology, plasma concentrations vary in a broad range. The sensitive and specific determination of E2 is a particular challenge in pediatric endocrinology. Here we report a female patient aged 12 6/12 years and Tanner stage B1 with a presumed diagnosis of ovarian insufficiency. She showed a very high E2 con...

Introduction: The Androgen Receptor (AR) is a steroid hormone receptor. Upon activation by its potent ligand, 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), it regulates the expression of target genes leading to the development of the outer male genitalia. Mutations in the AR gene are associated with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), characterized by the presence of testes and varying degrees of undervirilization of the external genitalia. Since many individ...

Background: Specific measurement of low serum / plasma concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2) is important in pre-pubertal and pubertal children in routine paediatric endocrinology. However, there is still a gap in available reference intervals (RIs) for E2 in paediatrics. The study was partially funded by the German Ministry of Health, grant number 2519FSB503.Objective: First, we technically developed a highly sensit...

Introduction: Androgens are essential for the development of male sex characteristics. Testosterone (T) production from androstenedione (A) by the Hydroxysteroid 17-Beta Dehydrogenase 3 (HSD17B3) in gonadal Leydig cells triggers the differentiation of the Wolffian ducts into epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles and the prostate. Shortly after, the virilisation of the external male genitalia starts through the conversion of T into dihydrotestosterone (DHT...

Background: Individuals born with a 45,X/46,XY karyotype can present with diverging phenotypes from normal male, Turner-like to ambiguous genitalia, the latter classically being called mixed gonadal dysgenesis. No correlation between phenotype and degree of mosaicisms in the karyotype could be ascertained so far, making clinical management of these patients difficult.Objective: To understand, if androgen action through the androgen receptor (AR) is compr...

Objective: Although low birthweight (bw) and unfavourable intrauterine conditions have been associated with metabolic sequelae in later life, little is known about their impact on glucocorticoid metabolism. We studied monozygotic twins with intra-twin bw-differences from birth to adolescence to analyse the long-term impact of bw and catch-up growth on glucocorticoid metabolism.Methods: 46 monozygotic prepubertal twin-pai...

Introduction: Rege et al. (2018) demonstrated that 11-keto-testosterone (11KT) is the dominant androgen in girls during adrenarche. Claahsen-van der Grinten et al. (2022) proposed C19 oxysteroids as a potential parameter for therapeutic control in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Turcu et al. (2016) observed a significant elevation in C19 oxysteroids in patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD). Currently, C-19 oxysteroids...

Objective: Low birthweight (bw) and unfavourable intrauterine conditions have been associated with metabolic and cardiovascular sequelae in later life. Although it is already well known that DHEAS is increased in formerly small-for-gestational-age singletons and in smaller twins compared to their normal-weight co-twin, less is known concerning other adrenal hormones. We analysed diurnal salivary profiles in prepubertal six to eight years old monozygotic twins ...

Background: Primary hypoaldosteronism (PA) is a rare inborn disorder with life-threatening symptoms in newborns and infants due to an aldosterone synthase defect. As plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) can remain in the normal range, interpretation of the laboratory findings could be difficult and might lead to delayed initiation of therapy.Objective and Hypotheses: This study aims to show that PAC/PRC (plasma renin concentration) rat...

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) encompasses a group of autosomal recessive disorders which lead to impairment of steroid biosynthesis in the adrenals and gonads. 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) is the most common form of CAH (95%), followed by 11β-hydroxylase deficiency (11OHD) and 3β-dehydrogenase steroid dehydrogenase type 2 deficiency (3bHSD2). LC–MSMS based steroid analysis has become an increasingly important method for steroid analyses i...