ESPE Abstracts

Background: Secretion of Wnt-proteins by adipose cells plays an important role in the control of adipogenesis. The Wnt-antagonist, dickkopf-1 (DKK-1), is secreted by human pre-adipocytes and influences adipocyte maturation and growth. DKK-1 mRNA increases 6 h after onset of human adipogenesis followed by an increase in DKK-1 protein. Of note, DKK-1 protein has been implicated also in bone remodeling pathways.Patients and Methods: In this study we measure...

Background: The i.v. GnRH test remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of central precocious puberty (CPP). Unfortunately however, GnRH is expensive and is not available worldwide. GnRH analogues have been used as an alternative, but their place is not established, while very few studies have compared between the two tests.Objective: To compare the effects of GnRH and Triptorelin on gonadotrophin secretion in patients with sexual precocity and hence ...

Background: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent a complex entity of neoplasm arising from different cell types of neural crest origin. They can produce and/or secrete various hormones or vasoactive substances. Usually sporadic, they can occur in association with other cancers, as part of a multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), von Hippel–Lindau disease, von Recklinghausen, tuberous sclerosis.Case report: We report a case of neuroendocrine t...

Background: Due to the rarity of Paediatric Cushing’s disease (CD) there is limited data on the long-term consequences of treatment.Objective and hypotheses: We assessed recurrence, anterior pituitary function and psychiatric disorders in a group of paediatric CD patients treated in a single centre.Method: Retrospective review of 20 patients with CD, mean age 11.75 years (5.74–17.8), managed in our centre between 1986 and...

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders that includes diseases of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system. The latter are missed on TSH based screening programs leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Additional T4 determinations, allows an early detection of CH of central origin (CH-C).Objective and hypotheses: To report the findings of a neonatal screening program based on determination of TSH...

Background: Short stature is the most common presenting symptom in Turner Syndrome (TS). GH treatment helps alleviating short stature in TS, although response to treatment varies significantly.Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to evaluate the response to GH treatment and factors affecting this response in children with TS.Method: Forty-nine patients with TS diagnosed by cytogenetic analysis and who had been followed minimum of 1-y...

Introduction: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare but severe condition causing persistent hypoglycaemia. Approximately 30-40% of patients require surgical treatment. Extent of surgery depends on the histological form of the disease: subtotal pancreatectomy is done in diffuse CHI, whereas pancreatic resection is recommended in focal CHI.18F-DOPA PET scan is a gold-standard imaging technique that helps in differential diagnosis of diffuse and f...

Background: Hypospadias affects approximately 1/200 newborn males. Based on the testicular dysgenesis syndrome hypothesis, some may be suspected of having persistent testicular dysfunction later in life. Few clinical data currently support this hypothesis.Methods: Cross-sectional assessment of hypospadias cases (n = 193) and controls (n = 50), aged 16-21 years, recruited at Ghent University Hospital and...

Background and Methods: PCOS is common and associated with significant comorbidity. However, its pathogenesis is complex and poorly understood. We have developed new methods for deep phenotyping discovery proteomic profiling of urine, aiming to identify disease mechanisms, drug targets and novel non-invasive biomarkers for PCOS in adolescents. Here, we present the baseline proteomic data from our prospective, longitudinal study (n=40). We undertook proteomic analysis ...

Background: The syndrome consisting of primary hypothyroidism, precocious puberty, and massive ovarian cysts was termed Van Wyk and Grumbach syndrome (VWGS) in 1960. Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is the more common cause of hypothyroidism in children. In patients with severe longstanding hypothyroidism, the sella turcica may be enlarged due to thyrotrope hyperplasia. Puberty tends to be delayed in hypothyroid children in proportion to the retardation in the bone age, althoug...