ESPE Abstracts

PCOS treatment in adolescence should aim at improving ovarian function, based on the pathophysiology of this condition. We previously described in cystic fibrosis and then in the PCOS an increase in HMGB1, secondary to reduced cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) expression in the ovary, associated with insulin resistance and inflammation that both characterize PCOS. Inositols and ALA derivatives are considered a good therapeutic option for their possible...

Background: Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk have consistently been observed in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The influence of T1DM on BMD seems to depend on gender or patient’s age and to occur early after T1DM diagnosis. The mechanisms of decreased BMD in T1DM patients are still unknown.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the serum levels of dickkopf-1 (DKK-1), a Wnt signaling inhibitor which decreases bone ...

Background: Haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has become the treatment of choice for many inherited and acquired pediatric disorders. Cure is not without consequences, and HSCT survivors are at risk of early mortality and developing endocrine complications. Thyroid is highly susceptible to damage from the conditioning therapy for HSCT. The aim of this study is to evaluate the percentage and risk factors of thyroid dysfunction and risk factors of it...

Background: Childhood-onset craniopharyngioma patients (CP) often suffer from tumor or treatment-related hypothalamic lesions (HL). These lesions may alter production of oxytocin, which plays a major role in the regulation of eating behavior and body composition.Objective: In CP with different degrees HL, we investigated associations between HL, eating behavior/eating attitudes, and oxytocin saliva concentrations (OSC).<...

Background: McCune-Albright-Syndrome (MAS) is an extremely rare multisystem disorder that affects bones (fibrous dysplasia), skin (cafe-au-lait spots) and endocrine organs (hyperfunctioning endocrinopathies) and is caused by somatic mutations in GNAS gene.Materials and methods: We have evaluated 55 pediatric patients (44 girls (G) and 11 boys (B)) diagnosed in the period of 20 years. Mutation analyses using competitive allele-specific TaqMan PCR...

Objective: To report the incidence of thyroid dysfunction of patients who underwent allogenic BMT during childhood.Patients and Methods: Eighty-two patients (56 boys) who were transplanted from an HLA matched donor at a mean age of 7.5±4.8 years (range 0.18–17.5 years) were followed prospectively having measurements of fT4, TSH twice yearly, using chemiluminescence. Patients with elevated TSH higher than 8 μIU/ml had a repeat evaluation in...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare condition characterized by unregulated secretion of insulin from pancreatic islet β cells. The primary treatment goal is to obtain normoglycemia, since hypoglycemia in the neonatal period can have severe impact on cerebral development.Objective and hypotheses: To assess the cerebral function in children with CHI at follow up.Method: From an international cohort, 40 childre...

Background: Trisomy 21 is associated with an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.Objective and hypotheses: For a more detailed characterization of the adaptive immune response, we analyzed the cellular and humoral immunity to specific pathogens in blood samples of 40 children with Down’s syndrome in comparison to 51 age-matched controls.Method: We quantitatively analyzed lymphocyte subpopulations using flow cyto...

Background: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is the most common endocrine cause of impaired growth. Recombinant human GH (rhGH) therapy does not always achieve complete catch-up growth or final height within the genetic target height despite standardised treatment guidelines. The factors causing the considerable variability in responsiveness to rhGH have not yet been fully elucidated. Apart from a number of auxological and clinical parameters, genetic factors also appear to pla...

Background: Primary generalised glucocorticoid resistance (PGGR) is a rare condition characterised by tissue insensitivity to glucocorticoids owing to inactivating mutations of the hGR gene. A new case of PGGR was reported in a patient with an adrenal incidentaloma harboring a novel heterozygous point mutation in the hGR gene, which resulted in threonine (T) to isoleucine (I) substitution at amino acid position 556 of the receptor.Objec...