ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: There has been a growing trend in the incidence of autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATD) in the pediatric group of patients. The new aspects of its pathogenesis may contribute to understand innovative methods of prevention and treatment. Regulatory B cells (Breg) allow the maintenance of immune homeostasis by neutralizing the negative reactions of effector cells. Attention has been recently paid also to the new environmental factor like zinc and its ...

Objective: Most children with short stature remain without an etiologic diagnosis after extensive clinical and laboratory evaluation and are classified as idiopathic short stature (ISS). This study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of a multigene gene analysis in children classified as ISS.Design and Methods: We selected 102 children with ISS and performed the genetic analysis as part of the initial investigation. ...

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...

Introduction: Growth disorders are often caused by monogenic conditions, and genetic investigation should be guided by clinical findings. However, in children with ISS, the absence of specific clinical features prevents the candidate gene approach. ACMG practice guideline (2021) recommends that children with ISS could be evaluated using targeted panel sequencing or WES. In commercial laboratories, WES is often performed and the genetic evaluation is offered as...

Background: The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) regulates calcium metabolism by modulating PTH secretion, as well as by direct effect on osteoblasts and osteoclasts, balancing bone formation and resorption. Loss-of-function heterozygous mutations on CASR gene can lead to Familial Hypocalciuric Hypercalcemia (FHH; OMIM #145980), a benign autosomal dominant condition of undefined incidence. Dysplasia Epiphysealis Hemimelica (DEH; OMIM #127800) is a rare...

Introduction: Extrauterine growth retardation is a common characteristic among children born at very low birth weight (VLBW). Over time, recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has been used in this group based on indications for children born small for gestational age (SGA). However, this group represents an extreme phenotype to the majority of children born SGA, and data on the outcomes of this therapy in this group are limited.<strong...

Background: Noonan Syndrome (NS; OMIM 163950) is a common autosomal dominant disorder distinguished by facial dysmorphism, short stature, heart defects, chest deformities, and learning disabilities or mental retardation. NS stems from heterozygous germline causative variants in genes regulating the RAS/MAPK signaling pathway, including PTPN11, SOS1, RAF1, RIT1, KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, LZTR1, and SOS2. The condition exhibits considerable clinical variability and shar...

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...