ESPE Abstracts

Background: Infantile Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is an inborn error of metabolism characterized by low serum alkaline phosphatase activity caused by loss-of-function mutations within the ALPL-gene encoding the tissue nonspecific isoenzyme of ALP (TNSALP). TNSALP controls skeletal and dental mineralization by hydrolyzing inorganic pyrophosphate, a potent inhibitor of bone mineralization. Patients develop substantial skeletal disease, failure to thrive, and sometime...

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by severe hypophagia, high levels of physical activity, harsh weight loss and an intense fear of weight gain. It has the highest mortality rate among psychiatric illnesses and, due to the unknown underlying neurobiology, it is challenging to treat. Agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons, which are localized in the arcuate nucleus in the hypothalamus, are both necessary and sufficient or feeding in adult animals. To uncov...

Background: Patients with vitD resistant rickets (VDRR) due to vitD receptor (VDR) mutations have extreme rickets along with alopesia, severe hypocalcemia, hypophosfatemia secondary to hyperparathroidism and elevated 1,25(OH)2vitD. Although there is no standard therapy for this patients, long-term or intermittanat i.v. or high dose oral calcium suplementations are recommended to correct the hypocalcemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism. ...

Background: Skeletal dysplasias comprise heterogeneous disorders often characterised by short stature with abnormalities of one or more of epiphysis, metaphysis or diaphysis. Over 200 types of skeletal dysplasias are identified, most of which are autosomal dominantly inherited. Actually, surgery has attempted to correct bone deformities but drug therapy for improving their severe short stature has been rarely attempted.Objective and hypotheses: Administr...

Background: The diagnosis, treatment, and management of growth disorders can have a substantial burden on patients and caregivers. Research was conducted with patient experts to understand challenges experienced by patients with growth disorders and their caregivers, and identify opportunities to improve care.Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used to obtain insights from patient experts between October 2022-January 2...

Rationale: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common complication after preterm birth that is associated with neurodevelopmental impairment. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been identified as a biomarker for neuroaxonal damage in preterm infants, but its relation with BPD has not yet been established. We hypothesized that BPD is associated with increased NfL levels at an early stage, indicative of early neuroaxonal damage....

Introduction: Short stature is a frequent reason for consultation in the paediatric age group. After appropriate clinical, radiological and laboratory evaluation, up to 60-80% of children are classified as idiopathic short stature (ISS) because no underlying cause can be found. Nowadays, the spreading of molecular is revealing that many of the patients initially classified as TBI, have variants in genes involved in the growth plate development. IHH gene is inv...

Background: The increasing incidence of obesity is a serious global public health challenge. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system, including adipose tissue. Increasing evidence from epidemiological, animal, and in vitro studies shows that EDCs, in particular bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates (e.g. di-ethyl-hexyl-phthalate, DEHP), can affect body weight, adipogenesis and circulating lipid profile,...

Background: Over the past several decades, the age of pubertal onset in girls has shifted downward worldwide. Several factors including genetic predisposition, psychosocial and socio-economic conditions, diet and ethnicity may have contributed to this phenomenon. Epidemiological and animal studies have shown that the exposure to BPA and DEHP may be associated with early onset of puberty in girls.Objective: To investigate...

Introduction: Hyperinsulinaemic Hypoglycaemia (HH) is one of the commonest causes of hypoglycaemia in infancy. It is characterised by hypoketotic, hypofattyacidaemic and hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia. The molecular basis of HH includes defects in pathways that regulate insulin release; to date, 12 genes have been associated with monogenic forms of HH (ABCC8, KCNJ11, GLUD1, GCK, HADH1, UCP2, MCT1, HNF4A, HNF1A, HK1, PGM1, PMM2). However, no genetic aetiology has been...