ESPE Abstracts

Background: Long-term glucocorticoid therapy with Prednisolone or Deflazacort has improved outcomes in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), however recommended dosages suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to adrenal insufficiency. All boys prescribed glucocorticoid therapy should be assumed to have adrenal suppression, and therefore at risk of adrenal crisis during illness or stress (eg. surgery, bisphosphonate infusions). The ...

Background: ROHHAD syndrome (rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysfunction, central hypoventilation, autonomic dysregulation) – also defined as ROHHADNET when associated with neural tumors - is a rare condition with a high mortality rate. The aim of this study is to describe the phenotypes of a multicentric cohort of ROHHAD patients.Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 22 patient...

Background: Sequencing of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) cohorts have identified variants in >100 “POI genes” in up to 50% of women. Establishing pathogenicity of these variants is challenging. Whether early-onset POI (EO-POI; adolescent-onset) has a unique genetic profile remains unknown.Methods: We performed exome sequencing (Nonacus) in an EO-POI cohort (sporadic and familial) and unaffected family...

Introduction: Genetic alterations within the cAMP/PKA pathway, including the genes GNAS, PDE11A, PDE8, PRKAR1A/B, and PRKACA, result in a spectrum of adrenocortical disorders. To date, somatic PRKACA variants and germline PRKACA copy number gain have been associated with the development of cortisol-secreting adrenocortical adenomas and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, respectively. While variants within the PRKAR1A ge...

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...

Background: Congenital hypopituitarism (CH), involving deficiencies in one or more anterior pituitary hormones, is rarely observed in combination with severe joint contractures, termed arthrogryposis. Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SHFYNG), which has phenotypic overlap with Prader-Willi syndrome, may be associated with arthrogryposis. L1 syndrome, a group of X-linked disorders including hydrocephalus and spasticity of the lower limbs, may also present with generalized contractures in r...

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 ...

Introduction: The diagnosis and treatment of patients with rare diseases is often difficult as most clinicians do not encounter them. Therefore, centralization and collaboration between centers of expertise is necessary. European Reference Networks (ERN’s) such as RareEndoERN provide a platform for this, with one of its main thematic groups having a specific focus on rare growth and obesity disorders. Genetic obesity encompasses a heterogeneous group of c...

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...

Background: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects 1% of women and is associated with significant medical consequences. In approximately 10% of cases, POI presents early with absent puberty or primary amenorrhoea. A genetic cause for POI can be found in up to 30% of women. Identified genes often relate to the complex biological processes occurring in fetal life which underpin normal ovary development and function in later adulthood.Objective: We aim...