ESPE Abstracts

Background: Thyroid disorders in the neonatal period can have serious consequences for growth and development. Neonatal bloodspot screening identifies congenital hypothyroidism. Current guidelines both internationally and in tertiary centres in Ireland have moved towards checking thyroid function tests (TFTs) solely in infants of mothers with hyperthyroidism and those identified on neonatal bloodspot screening. The practice in OLOLH, Ireland was that all infants of mothers wit...

Background: While the primary function of vitamin D relates to calcium and bone metabolism, it is now recognised that vitamin D is a potent immunomodulator. In vitro, 1,25(OH)2D has been shown to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL6, while up regulating synthesis of anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL10 and IL4. Previous in vitro studies have yielded inconsistent results on the relationship between 25OHD and cytokines in adul...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare condition but a significant cause of recurrent hypoglycaemia in infancy and childhood. Prompt recognition and appropriate management is important to avoid long-term neurological sequelae.Objective and hypotheses: To describe the presentation, clinical and genetic outcomes in a series of infants with CHI.Method: Retrospective case series of 35 patients diagnosed with CHI between...

Background: Ireland has a high incidence of type 1 diabetes in childhood (16.8/100, 000 per year (1). A small percentage of children with diabetes have maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) (2). Establishing the correct diagnosis is critical to optimal therapy and future genetic counselling (3).Objective and hypothesis: To review the cohort of children attending our tertiary diabetes service and describe the clinical features of those where MODY wa...

Background: Early establishment of good metabolic control with intensive insulin therapy can reduce the incidence and delay the progression of complications in type 1 diabetes (T1D) mellitus.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the long-term outcomes of all children and adolescents started on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion or pump therapy in our tertiary centre.Method: All children with T1D who started on continuous s...

Background: Hereditary syndromic endocrine tumours are associated with significant morbidity in the paediatric population. Advances in molecular genetics enable early cascade genetic testing with early initiation of tumour screening. Controversy exists around the start age and burdens arising from screening-related harms.Objective: To describe the efficiency of the screening program for paediatric patients with genetic r...

Background and Objectives: MCT8 deficiency is a debilitating, ultra-rare, X-linked disorder resulting from dysfunctional thyroid hormone (TH) transport. A lack of TH in the brain results in profound neurodevelopmental delay while a co-existing excess of TH in tissues outside the brain leads to symptoms of chronic thyrotoxicosis. Tiratricol is a naturally occurring metabolite of triiodothyronine (T3) that clinical trials have shown can restore normal TH signall...

Background: We recently identified loss-of-function mutations in makorin ring finger 3 (MKRN3) as a cause of familial central precocious puberty (CPP). Analysis of Mkrn3 expression in the arcuate nucleus of mice showed high expression levels in juvenile mice, with a marked reduction prior to puberty onset, suggesting that MKRN3 inhibits puberty initiation. The function of MKRN3 is not known but based on its amino acid sequence, it is predicted to act as an ubiquitin l...

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and long-term glucocorticoid treatment may be associated with an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic sequelae such as abnormal glucose homeostasis, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, cardiovascular (CV) disease, obesity and osteoporosis.Objectives: To study the current practice amongst expert centres for assessing cardiometabolic outcomes in adult patients with 21-hyd...