ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Several studies showing a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women have been published in recent years. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has been related to adverse events both in mother and child. Plasma 25-OH vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in the newborn are dependent on maternal deposits and show a close correlation with maternal levels; thus, neonates of vitamin D-deficient mothers present a greater risk of hypocalcaemia, rickets and a highe...

Background: 25-OH vitamin D levels in newborns depend directly on their mother’s status. In a previous study, 25-OH vitamin D levels were determined in cord blood in a cohort of women after winter months, showing deficient values in 94% of population (mean 25-OH vitamin D value 10.4±6.1 ng/ml). Correlation between low 25-OH vitamin D levels and low sun exposure, dark skin phototype and Indo-Pakistani ethnicity were observed.Objective and hypoth...

Introduction: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is a biochemical condition characterized by serum levels of TSH above the reference range upper limit (4,5μUI/mL), with normal concentrations of thyroid hormones. In cases of non-autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism (NASHT), genetic defects have been described and can determine disorders in the biosynthesis process of thyroid hormones, such as heterozygous mutations in the TSH receptor gene (TSHR) and ...

Endochondral bone formation regulates bone growth both during embryonic development and after birth. Several different autocrine/paracrine or hormonal mechanisms govern the regulation of endochondral bone formation. Among those is the pathway involving stimulatory G protein, which primarily mediates the actions of parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) in the growth plate. PTHrP is synthesized in the perichondrial cells and chondrocytes at the end of bones. In the growing...

Background: Over 800 different mutations in GCK gene have been reported in the Human Gene Mutation Database, the vast majority of which result in monogenic diabetes (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, MODY type 2). The missense mutation p.Leu122Val is listed in that database as "disease-causing". However, the National Center for Biotechnology Information ClinVar database (Variation ID 585919) reports that this mutation is of "uncertain ...

Background: Autoimmune thyroid diseases are multifactorial diseases with a genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. A potential role of the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) gene, the interferon induced helicase domain 1 (IFIH1) gene, the TSH receptor (TSH-R) gene polymorphisms on autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) in children has not been established equivocally yet.Objective and hypotheses: To estimate the association...

Introduction: HLA-G gene is involved in the control of immune response. It plays a primary role on immune tolerance and may participate in controlling autoimmune responses serving as a potential independent susceptibility marker. HLA-G has been isolated in some secretory granules and on the cell surface of primary islet cells induced to secrete insulin. Subsequently, it could be hypothesized that HLA-G methylation at pancreatic islet could sustain T cell activation and onset o...

Background: The low-dose short Synacthen test is a popular diagnostic test of adrenal insufficiency in children. It is employed by 82% of UK paediatric endocrinologists. Although various dosing strategies exist, 1 μg is most commonly employed, however none of the low-dose forms are commercially available. A BSPED survey revealed 14 different methods for diluting 250 μg/ml ampoules.Objective and hypotheses: Do various dilution strategies result ...

Background: In the vast majority of cases, achondroplasia and hypochondroplasia are attributable to hotspot missense mutations in the FGFR3 gene. 96% of patients have a G(1138)A and 3% have a G(1138)C point mutation. We report on a family whose members have a deep intronic mutation that leads to a novel cryptic splicing variant of the FGFR3 gene, and via this pathway results in new pathogenicity manifesting as achondroplasia.Case...

In this study, we conducted a clinical, genetic, and molecular profiling of a Han Chinese family with evident of matrilineally-inherited obesity. Obesity was evident in 2/6 matrilineal relatives in a single generation of this family (of 3 available generations). When the mitochondrial DNA of these individuals was sequences and a pedigree analysis was performed, we were able to identify a novel homoplasmic mutation of the mitochondrial tRNAGly gene (10029A>G) in t...