ESPE Abstracts

Background: Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental contaminants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Nowadays, they are considered reproductive toxicants and in-utero exposure is well documented, although evidence of early life exposure is scarce, and needs to be described. Aim of this study is to assess phthalate exposure and its changes over the first months of life in a cohort of healthy full term infants and their mothers from a restricted area of t...

Background: The activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis during the first months both in males(M) and females(F) is named as minipuberty. Urinary gonadotropins (uGn) represent an unexpensive and non-invasive method of assessing pubertal development and they have recently been used also for studying minipuberty.Aims of the study are: 1) to describe the urinary hormonal pattern (uLH, uFSH, testosterone – uT, oestra...

Introduction: The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged a sedentary lifestyle and “covibesity” was reported. Concerns for consequences on anthropometric data, glycemic control, and lipid profile in subjects with type 1 diabetes (T1D) were raised.Objectives: Longitudinal and observational study aimed to investigate the 2-years effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on BMI, glycemic control, and lipid profile...

Background: Gonadotropin releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) are effective in improving adult height in children with precocious onset of puberty, rapid progression, and good growth potential. In last years, however, some transient metabolic complications have been described during the treatment without the reassurance of long-term data yet. The aim of our study is to clarify if body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis of idiopathic central precocious puberty (iCPP) c...

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic, by restricting outside activities, encouraged a sedentary lifestyle due to social distancing and, alongside, an increase in the consumption of canned food and industrialized foods, resulting in a negative impact on the growth of children and young people (CYP). Concerns for consequences in CYP with type 1 diabetes (T1D) rose.Objectives: To investigate 1-year effects of the COVID-19 pandem...

Introduction: The true incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and young people (CYP) is unclear and data are influenced by testing strategies. CYP have so far accounted for 17.5-22% of diagnosed infections. In adults, diabetes was identified as risk factor for severe symptoms and hospitalization with the COVID-19. Eighteen months into the pandemic, studies in CYP with type 1 diabetes (T1D) reported only an increased prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis (...

Background: Nowadays, the role of minipuberty in influencing pubertal development is well documented. Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental contaminants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with reproductive toxic effect. Aim of this study is to assess phthalate exposure within the first months of life in a cohort of healthy term infants and their mothers and the possible relationship with minipuberty.Methods: Sin...

Background: Hypospadias is one of the most common congenital anomalies in males. Surgical repairing aims to improve the aesthetic and functional outcome. The success rate of hypospadias repairing is variable according to the severity of the malformation with a complication rate(CR) of almost 60% in proximal forms. Testosterone treatment before surgery is still controversial and its impact on surgical outcomes, and the best regimen for administration, is unclea...

Background: Gender identity (GI) is the unified and persistent self-perception on the male-female spectrum, and its acquisition is a multifactorial process maybe influenced also by minipuberty. GI develops in early childhood and is consolidated around 3-4 years. Several tests assess GI as the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children (GIQC). GIQC is intended for parents and aims to assess GI in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Aim of the research i...

Background: Gender role behaviour refers to a set of behaviours that differ for boys and girls, although its source and development remain controversial. Gender differences in the choice of toys and activities are observed as early as 12 months. Ad hoc tests, such as the Toy Preference Test (TPT), have been developed to highlight gender differences in paediatric populations. The aim of our study was to investigate play behaviour, to determine which toys are mo...