ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: The majority of children with short stature are classified as ISS by the absence of findings that could elucidate the cause of their growth impairment. Several monogenic defects have already been identified in children with ISS, but the candidate gene approach is not feasible when there are no specific findings to guide a specific genetic test.Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic yield of a targeted gene p...

Background: Most experts agree that subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) represents early, mild thyroid failure, however there are controversies about the evolution of SH over time.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to analyse the dynamics of thyroid dysfunction in children initially referred as patients with SH.Method: During the period January 2010 – January 2015, 258 unselected consecutive SH patients (140 girls)...

Introduction: Central precocious puberty (CPP) is due to premature activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Mutations in the imprinted gene MKRN3 are the most common monogenic form of CPP. Recently, attention was directed to DLK1, another imprinted gene. Defects in this gene resulted to be a rare cause of CPP in girls and adult women with precocious menarche, obesity and metabolic derangement. We aimed to investigate a cohort of female and male p...

Background: The primary goal of GH treatment in GHD children and adolescents is to normalize height, in order to attain an adult height within the target height (TH) range.Aim: to investigate height improvement in GHD paediatric patients treated with GH in our Country.Subjects: 737 patients with isolated GHD (39.5% females) from 13 tertiary Centres for Paediatric Endocrine Care...

Background: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) has been linked to papillary cancer in adults but not in children and adolescents. Moreover, there is no agreement on the more appropriate frequency of thyroid ultrasound (TS) in the follow-up of children with HT.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of thyroid nodules and of thyroid cancer in a large group of children and adolescents (567) with HT followed-up for a m...

Background: Timing of puberty is associated with height, cardiovascular health and cancer risk, with a significant public health impact. Previous studies estimate that 60–80% of variation in the timing of pubertal onset is genetically determined. Self-limited delayed puberty (DP) often segregates in an autosomal dominant pattern, but the underlying genetic background is unknown.Methods: We performed whole exome sequencing in 52 members of 7 families...

Background: patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma (CO-CP) present long-term outcomes, including growth hormone (GH) deficiency and obesity. Currently, data on the effects of GH therapy (GHT) on the body mass index (BMI) in CP are inconclusive. Aims of the study were to evaluate BMI over time and its determinants in a large cohort of CO-CP patients treated with GH therapy (GHT).Methods: a multicenter retrospecti...

Introduction: Central hypothyroidism is due to a deficiency of TRH/TSH.Patient and Methods, Results: A 9 year old boy (07 Aug. 20) was referred for proportionate short stature (-2.7 SD). He complained of fatigue and had mild peripheral edema. His baseline T4 was 2.9 ug/dL(ref. 4.50-12.50 ug/dL) and TSH 0.04 uIU/ml (0.400-4.00). The TRH test showed low TSH <0.004 Ulu/ML (ref. 0.400-4.00) and low T4 2.70 (ref. 4.50-12....

Introduction: Angelman syndrome is caused by de novo maternal deletions in 15q11-q13 region of chromosome 15 in approximately 70% of affected children.Patient and Methods: A two and a half year-old boy with hypotonia, absence of speech, low weight (-4.38 SDS) and short stature (-1.14 SDS) had pale skin and typical facial features with wide and prominent forehead, low-lying ears, wide mouth, small and widely spaced te...

Background: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) represent several types of malformations with occurrence of 1 in about 500 live births.Objective and hypotheses: Small for gestation age (SGA) may influence prevalence of CAKUT and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in children. The aim of this study was to elaborate prevalence, clinical features and outcome of SGA born children with associated CAKUT....