ESPE Abstracts

Early life events can profoundly affect an individual’s metabolic phenotype, inducing adaptive responses that may be protective in utero but potentially disadvantageous for long-term health. Indeed, environmental cues during sensitive windows of development may result in altered growth and lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic alterations later in life. In this talk, I will discuss several models of exposure to early life events, which were th...

Background: Pre-eclampsia is associated with important complications for both mother and baby in the short term, but there are limited data about its long-term effects on offspring metabolism. Thus, we aimed to assess whether maternal pre-eclampsia was associated with adverse effects on metabolism and body composition in the offspring in childhood.Methods: We studied healthy pre-pubertal children (aged 4–10 years) b...

Background: Fifteen years ago children born very preterm (<32 weeks of gestation) were reported to be insulin resistant. Neonatal intensive care has since improved considerably, but it is unclear whether this has affected long-term outcomes in those born preterm. Abnormalities in gut microbiome, which influence host metabolism, have been found in preterm newborns.Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to assess whether children born very preterm still ha...

Background: We have previously shown in a randomised controlled trial that moderate-intensity exercise over the last 20 weeks of gestation in healthy nulliparous women led to a birth weight reduction of approximately 250 g.Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to assess the long-term effects of exercise in pregnancy on anthropometry and body composition in mothers and offspring 7 years after the intervention. We hypothesized that women who exercised in preg...

Background: The genetic causes of disorders of sex development (DSD) are difficult to identify since these conditions are refractory to classic genetic approaches. In particular the underlying genetic mutations of most cases of 46,XY DSD is unknown.Objective and hypotheses: Using an exome sequencing approach we aimed to identify new genetic factors involved in 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis.Method: Exon enrichment was performed using Agi...

Background: Perinatal factors seem to influence the onset of puberty. There is some evidence suggesting that being born small for gestational age (SGA) is associated with early puberty, whereas the effect of large size at birth on timing of puberty is not clear.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the timing of puberty in children born SGA and large for gestational age (LGA) compared to children born appropriate for gestational age (AGA).<p class="a...

Background: Infants born small (SGA) and large (LGA) for gestational age have been identified at increased risk of perinatal morbidity and later cardio-metabolic alterations. Nevertheless, the progression over time in incidence of SGA and LGA births is yet to be determined.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate temporal trends in SGA and LGA infants compared to those born appropriate (AGA), and to identify factors potentially associated over a 20-year ...

Background: Maternal overweight/obesity during pregnancy and excessive gestational weight gain (GWtG) have been recognized as important early-life risk factors for childhood obesity. We aimed to examine whether maternal BMI at 20 weeks of gestation and excessive GWtG were associated with alterations in body composition and metabolism in childhood in the offspring of primiparous mothers who participated in a randomised controlled trial of exercise regimen during pregnancy.<...

Background: Childhood obesity is commonly associated with signs of endothelial dysfunction, characterized by impairment of insulin signaling and vascular NO availability. Recently both these features have been associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, however the role of ER stress in the mechanism/s leading to vascular dysfunction in childhood obesity remains still to be established.Objective and Hypotheses: To evaluate ER stress and insulin-sti...

Background: Health professionals are increasingly aware that the acoustic environment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may affect infants’ well-being. Where unpredictable noise adversely affects sleep and physiologic stability, meaningful auditory stimulation might have positive effects, primarily in the short term. Furthermore, evidence is now emerging regarding beneficial long-term effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes. Notably, recent literature s...