ESPE Abstracts

Background: In 2019, the International CAH Registry (I-CAH) performed a benchmarking exercise of acute adrenal insufficiency related adverse events including adrenal crises (AC) and sick day episodes (SDE).Methods: In 2022, I-CAH data on children aged <18 years at first visit with 21-hydroxylase deficiency CAH from 35 centres in 19 countries were analysed to examine the current occurrence of SDE and AC and compare it ...

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an emerging disease in the pediatric population. T2D is associated with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are lipoproteins that are believed to have atheroprotective properties that reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current evidence suggests that the physicochemical and functional features of HDLs may play a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.<...

Background: The easypodTM auto-injector is designed to make daily administration of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) comfortable and easier to patients. EasypodTM device delivers pre-set doses of r-hGH (Saizen®) and stores a digital record of adherence to therapy that can be shared with healthcare providers for evaluation.Objective: To assess adherence to r-hGH therapy delivered via the easypodTM device in ea...

Background: Bilateral testicular regression (BTR) is characterized by the absence of both testicles in a newborn male or shortly thereafter, and presenting as bilateral cryptorchidism with undetectable AMH levels and the absence of Müllerian structures on pelvic ultrasound. Depending on when the regression occurs during fetal development, the condition can be associated with a micropenis. Few studies have explored the etiology and long-term outcome of BTR...

Background: The mitochondrial enzyme nicotinamide nucleotide transidrogenase (NNT) is essential in the antioxidant defense mechanisms and appears to be essential to the stages of adrenal steroidogenesis that occur inside the mitochondria.Aim: To characterize how mutations in NNT gene impair adrenal steroidogenesis resulting in familial glucocorticoid deficiency (FGD).Methods: Genom...

Background: Fertility Preservation (FP) in children and adolescents poses unique challenges as efficacy is unproven.Objective and hypotheses: To describe characteristics and evidence for potential fertility in ovarian and testicular tissue cryopreservation specimens (OTCP and TTCP respectively) taken from paediatric and adolescent patients, stratified by age, and prior chemotherapy.Method: Retrospective review of gonadal biopsies a...

Background: Loss-of-function mutations in the imprinted gene MKRN3 represent the most common known genetic defects associated with central precocious puberty (CPP). The penetrance of these mutations remains to be established. To date, all reported individuals with MKRN3 mutations were already in puberty or postpubertal and were identified retrospectively.Objective and hypotheses: To report the first case of a prepubertal child with an MKRN3 muta...

Childhood cancer survivors (CCS), particularly brain cancer survivors, are at risk of developing growth hormone deficiency (GHD) due to hypothalamic-pituitary damage from direct tumor mass effects or treatment. Optimization of testing, long-term treatment, and monitoring during care transition from pediatric to adult endocrinology providers remain challenging. A group of endocrinology experts convened to discuss these challenges, the risks and benefits of GH therapy in CCS wit...

Background: Bi-allelic GHR mutations are classically responsible for Laron syndrome, a severe growth hormone (GH) resistance syndrome. A few GHR missense mutations have also been implicated in mild GH resistance or idiopathic short stature. IGFALS mutations are responsible for recessive or semi-dominant short stature with normal GH provocative test contrasting with extremely low IGF-I levels.Objective and hypotheses: To assess the contribution of GHR and...

Background: Long-term outcome studies on bilateral testicular regression (BTR) are currently lacking, hampering counseling of patients and parents. Although a vascular origin was initially reported, recent studies revealed a genetic origin in a subset of patients (i.e. DHX37 gene variants). How this relates to patient outcomes remains unclear.Methods: Thirty-five patients with BTR were recruited in eight Belgian centers ...