ESPE Abstracts

GLI2 is a downstream transcription factor in Sonic Hedgehog signaling, acting early in ventral forebrain and pituitary development. Heterozygous GLI2 mutations have been reported in patients with isolated or combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD).Objective: Study of genetic etiology of the hypopituitarism and identification of the genetic alteration in GLI2 gene.Methodology: Molecular study: Search for varia...

Introduction: The outcome of hypospadias is considered to be primarily dependent on the underlying aetiology, its surgical management and the duration of follow-up. However, currently, there is little consensus on what set of parameters are essential and clinically feasible for assessment of outcome.Aim: To facilitate the development of a core outcome set for hypospadias by assessment of the range of outcomes reported in boys undergoing surgery.<p cl...

Context: Disorders of sexual development (DSD) are those medical conditions with abnormalities of sex chromosomes, gonads, internal ducts or external genitalia. Sex determination and differentiation is a process under genetic control, only partially explained. Genetic testing and identification of a cause in DSD is essential for a precise diagnosis and correct management and also has an important psychosocial motivation.Aim: To make a genomic analyse, us...

Background: Controlling eating rate may be a mechanism for reducing calorie consumption. We need to understand the physiological basis of this to design effective paediatric interventions.Objective and hypotheses: This study investigated the effect of eating rate during lunch on post-meal neural response (fMRI), satiety hormone levels, appetite ratings (VAS), meal enjoyment, memory for recent eating and snack consumption.Method: Tw...

Background: The goal of treatment in children with hypophosphatemic rickets (HR) attempts to correct growth and leg deformities. However, growth is compromised despite treatment and patients are at risk of developing nephrocalcinosis in the future. Some factors (sex, age and height at diagnosis) have been related to height outcome, but little is known about the impact in growth of different dosage of treatment or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels.Objecti...

Background: Hypercortisolism due to PPNAD may be cyclical, atypical and may develop suddenly or progressively.Objective and Hypotheses: The performance of salivary cortisol (SF) in this rare cause of Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is lacking.Method: Ten patients (nine F/one M) with PPNAD (two sporadic; eight Carney complex) were evaluated. Among these, six had CS family history, while in two the diagnosis was confirmed by germline PR...

Context: Heterozygous mutations in TSH recepter (TSHR) have been described associated with mild TSH resistance characterized by non autoimmune hyperthyrotropinemia (NAH). The prevalence of this condition varies in different reports.Objective: To determine the prevalence of TSHR variants in pediatric NAH.Subjects and methods: Thirty-five non obese unrelated children with NAH (18 girls, aged 1–19 years) were enrolled. A...

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is defined as normal tyrosine levels in the presence of TSH concentrations between 5 and 10 mU/ml. The impact of SH on IGF system and growth of infants remains unknown.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate IGF1, IGFBP3 levels and growth velocity (GV) of infants with SH.Method: 98 children up to 36 months of age, recalled due to a TSH >5 mU/ml in the neonatal screening test, were divid...

Background: ALS deficient (ALS-D) patients present severe IGFI and IGFBP3 deficiencies and variable degree of growth retardation. Heterozygous carriers for IGFALS variants, ALS-D relatives or a subset of ISS children, have levels of IGFI, IGFBP3 and ALS intermediate between ALS-D and wildtype (WT) subjects. This supports that IGFALS gene variants may affect ALS synthesis, secretion and/or function and could be responsible for the observed phenotype.<p cla...

Background: Gene SHOX haploinsufficiency due to deletions or mutations in heterozygosis causes a wide spectrum of phenotypes ranging from very severe disharmonic short stature (S. Léri-Weil, S. Turner) to very mild forms with the appearance of idiopathic short stature (IST) of difficult clinical recognition. Auxological study directed at evaluating body disproportions such as the sitting height/height (SH/H) ratio in patients with IST has been postulated as usefu...