ESPE Abstracts

Craniopharyngioma is a rare, embryonic malformation of the sellar/parasellar region with low histological grade. In childhood-onset craniopharyngioma (CoCR), endocrine dysfunctions, severe obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS), neurological impairment and reduced quality of life have been described as consequences of both localization and treatment. To characterize a population with CoCR and to correlate endocrine/metabolic sequelae with different surgery approach we performed...

Background: Increasing incidence of pediatric obesity has been observed worldwide. Metabolic syndrome, characterized by visceral obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension and impaired glucose metabolism, is associated with obesity.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate early ocular signs of hypertension by retinography in a cohort of overweight (BMI>85th)/obese (BMI>95th) children, in order to define the prevalence of retinal alterations and characteriz...

Introduction: Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is routinely performed to identify brain lesions in boys with central precocious puberty (CPP). In contrast to girls, in whom more than 90% of cases are idiopathic, it has been reported that 4 up to 75% of boys with CPP have pathological brain lesions.Aim: to evaluate the prevalence of brain lesions in males with isolated CPP and to identify potential clinical and bioc...

Background: Type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) is the product of a single-copy gene located on chromosome 15 and is ubiquitously expressed in humans. Increased hepatic IGF-1R gene expression is found in hepatocellular carcinoma and in chronic hepatitis C, making parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells more susceptible to the mitogenic effects of IGF-1.Objective and hypotheses: As we have previously demonstrated that IGF-1 and IGF-2 circula...

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with higher risk of cardiometabolic disease. Perturbation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis activates a set of ER-to-nucleus signaling pathways known as unfolded protein response (UPR). We previously showed that IUGR is associated with the activation of hepatic UPR and abnormal glucose profile in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Herein, we report the impact of IUGR on pancreas UPR in the same ex...

Background: The diagnosis of GH deficiency (GHD) is not straightforward in childhood and adolescence, requiring comprehensive clinical, anthropometric, biochemical, endocrine, and neuroradiological assessment. Although pharmacological GH stimulation tests are still considered the gold standard for GHD diagnosis, they are burdened by both poor specificity and side effects. Several studies have addressed the issue of sensitivity and specificity of IGFBP-3 assess...

Long-term safety of rhGH therapy in childhood has been object of intense investigation in the last decade. Two recent observational studies have focused on the risk of cardiovascular diseases in young adults treated with rhGH during childhood. After subdividing the large cohorts of patients in different risk groups they found that both mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular diseases were higher than the general population in the low risk group including patients with isol...

Background: IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) mutations are associated with pre- and post-natal growth retardation. We describe two monozygotic twins, one of them born small for gestational age (SGA), referred at the age 4 years and 2 months for short stature.Case presentation: The twins were born from non-consanguineous parents at 37-weeks gestational age by caesarean delivery. At birth: patient 1 had weight 2.076 kg (−2.4 SD...

Background: Congenital leptin deficiency is a rare cause of early-onset severe obesity. Clinical features of congenital leptin deficiency include early-onset severe obesity, marked hyperphagia, endocrine and metabolic alterations. Some patients have immune dysregulation.Case report: We describe two siblings from Libya referred for severe obesity. A boy (patient 1) referred at the age of 4 years and 3 months and a girl (p...

Background: Multiple factors may affect intrauterine growth leading to birth of children small for gestational age (SGA). The impact of subtle genetic alterations on both pre and post-natal growth is still largely unknown.Objective and Hypotheses: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of CNVs in a cohort of SGA children with persistent short stature.Subjects and Methods</s...