ESPE Abstracts

Background: The pathophysiological link between the stress axis and mental health disorders is well established. However, the impact of inborn errors of steroidogenesis on the brain remains elusive. We analysed the brain transcriptome of adult zebrafish with impaired steroidogenesis to study the role of steroid hormones in the development of mental and psychiatric disorders.Methods: Adult brains from two established zebr...

Background: Patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) require life-long glucocorticoid (GC) replacement and have high prevalence of metabolic disease. Our previous work using a zebrafish model of 21OHD (cyp21a2-/-) showed that cortisol-deficient adults were fertile and had normal external sex characteristics, however, they had large body size and increased subcutaneous and visceral fat deposition compared to wild-types. Unlike human 21OHD, they ...

Background: Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) is the most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Patients present with cortisol and aldosterone deficiency as well as with hyperandrogenism, leading to virilisation in females and early adrenarche in both sexes. Requiring life-long glucocorticoid (GC) replacement, patients frequently experience daily fluctuations between GC overexposure and deficiency. Increased prevalence of metabolic disease con...

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...

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: Glucocorticoid treatment remains a challenging aspect in the management of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Current strategies for monitoring treatment are suboptimal and rely largely on frequent blood tests, which are traumatising in children and young persons (CYP). Recent evidence indicates a crucial role of 11-oxygenatedC19 androgens in the pathogenesis of CAH.Aim: To explore the use of 11-oxygenat...

Background: The variation in the provision of services in secondary and tertiary care for children and young people living with CAH in the United Kingdom is unknown. We aimed to conduct a nationwide service evaluation to inform from both the patient and clinician perspective.Methods: We conducted an anonymous multicentre survey using online questionnaires for clinicians and CAH patients/carers. Clinical leads from UK cen...

Aim: Recommendations for replacement glucocorticoids in CAH suggest a dose per body surface area (BSA) of glucocorticoids of 10-15mg/m2/day to maintain a 17-OH Progesterone (17OHP) level of 12-36 nmol/l across all ages. We used longitudinal analysis to assess whether biomarkers and dose of hydrocortisone varied with age in children within the I-CAH registry .Method: This retrospective multi-centre study, inclu...

Aim: Recommendations for the management of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) outline a target 17-OH Progesterone (17OHP) of 12-36nmol/l, but do not specify target concentrations for Androstenedione (D4). We aimed to study the temporal variations of these biomarkers in patients from different geographical regions.Method: This retrospective multi-centre study, including 21 centres (14 countries), analysed serum biomarke...

Introduction: Despite existing guidelines there is no unified approach to glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Consequently, treatment varies in adults and children as well as across countries.Objective: We used data from the I-CAH Registry to identify geographical and temporal variations in the treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids of children and adul...