ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Obesity as a chronic inflammatory disease is associated with impaired prothrombotic state leading to atherothrombosis. A variety of prothrombotic factors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of this phenomenon, especially the von Willebrand factor (vWF) produced in endothelium, megakaryocytes and subendothelial connective tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate any possible association between the new inflammatory marker chitinase 3-like protein 1...

Background: According to current literature 1-h glucose ≥155 mg/dl during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is considered an independent predictor of β-cell deterioration and future progression to prediabetes in obese individuals.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate whether determination of glucose level obtained 1-h after glucose load can improve predictive ability of prediabetes.Method: Ninety-eight overweight/...

Background: Hashimoto Thyroiditis (HT) and Graves Disease (GD) are conditions known to be caused by abnormal immune response against self-tissues. The biological processes at molecular lever are still poorly understood. A few epigenetic studies have been published so far.Objective: To investigate whether there are differences in DNA methylation within the HLADRB1, CD40L, FOXP3, CTLA4, FCRL3, IL2RA and PTPN22 promoters between young patients with autoimmu...

Background: Adrenal incidentalomas(AIs) are adrenal masses discovered occasionally by radiological evaluation in the absence of clinical features of adrenal disease. Clinical evaluation is important in patients with AIs. AIs are bilateral (10–15%); manifest as nonfunctioning cortical adenomas (70–80%), pheochromocytomas (1.1–11%), subclinical Cushing syndrome (5–20%), primary aldosteronism (1–2%), primary adrenocortical carcinomas (<5%) and metasta...

Background: It has already been documented that selenium treatment has beneficial effects in adult patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, especially in those with a higher titer of antibodies and increased inflammatory disease activity.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate whether daily supplementation of organic selenium at a high dose (200 μg in the form of L-selenomethionine) has any effect on the titer of thyroid autoantibodies.<p class="a...

Background: A number of studies have previously described seasonality of birth in children with type 1 diabetes, thus suggesting that the autoimmune process may begin during fetal development. However, there is a lack of data regarding autoimmune thyroid disease in childhood.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of this study was to analyse the seasonal birth month pattern in young patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and compare it with that of youth healthy...

Background: A positive association between osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has been recently reported. Additionally, there is evidence that OPG in obese adults participates in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases by promoting inflammation, which is known to be linked to insulin resistance (IR). There is few data regarding the relationship among obesity-IR-OPG, in youth.Objective and hypot...

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has been described to be associated with altered oxidative status. Combined analysis of pro-oxidative and anti-oxidative mechanisms in youngsters with T1DM has been less studied.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate pro-oxidative/anti-oxidative status in T1DM youngsters and healthy controls and investigate their possible association with glycemic control.Method: Sixty-three children and a...

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with left ventricular geometry and hypertrophy and larger end-systolic diameters and worse left ventricular function in animals and humans.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of this study was to investigate any possible association between vitamin D levels and geometry of left ventricle (LV) in youngsters with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).Method: 58 youngsters with T1DM with me...

Background: Alterations in DNA methylation status of specific genetic loci may affect gene expression, thus leading to autoimmunopathies.Objective and hypotheses: This study aimed to investigate possible differences in DNA methylation pattern between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) youngsters and healthy controls.Method: Ten T1DM participants and 10 age-/gender-matched controls were enrolled. DNA was extracted from white blood cell...