ESPE Abstracts

Background: The success of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically increased life expectancy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, revealing a range of chronic problems associated with HIV. Among others, low bone mineral density (BMD) has been described in HIV-infected youths. Little is currently known about the changes of BMD over time in these patients.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to asses...

Background: Mauriac syndrome (MS) classically involves hepatomegaly (hepatic glycogenosis), growth impairment and cushingoid features in a patient with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The typical age of presentation is adolescence. With the advent of improved insulin regimens, MS has seen less frequently. However, new cases appear each year in medical literature.Clinical case: We report the case of a 9 years and 9 months of age male, w...

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an emerging disease in the pediatric population. The association between T2D and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been described; the mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of NAFLD are incompletely understood. Evidence of high Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and the risk of diabetes complications has been demostrated. Recent evidence suggests that metabolic control may have a role in the dev...

Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a rare, potentially life-threatening, condition due to abnormalities of steroid biosynthesis or of adrenal gland development and responsiveness. PAI is characterized by impaired secretion of glucocorticoids and can be accompanied by mineralocorticoid and adrenal androgens deficiency or excess, depending on the underlying cause. In adults, the most common etiology is represented by autoimmunity. In contrast, the disease in children is more...

Even today, the majority of families are caught completely unprepared by the diagnosis of diabetes in their child. The "bad news" hits them like a bolt from the blue and calls into question the future plans of parents and children. The first talk with the paediatric diabetologist, in which the diagnosis is communicated and the therapy is roughly outlined, sets the course for the acceptance of diabetes in the family and the long-term trusting cooperation with the diab...

Background: Dyslipidemia increases the frequency and severity of micro- and macro-vascular complications of type 1 diabetes.Objective and hypotheses: The present study aims to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and its association with clinical and laboratory findings in diabetic children and adolescents.Methods: The study included 202 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Demographic data and laboratory findings wer...

Background: There is wide geographic variation in the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at onset of diabetes from ~15–70% in Europe and North America.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the frequency of DKA at the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the paediatric population seen in the Department of Pediatric Diabetology of Turin (Italy) from 1/1/2008 to 31/12/2013.Method: Data (venous pH and HCO3, season at the onset)...

Background: The diagnosis of GHD in children is based on auxological, biochemical, neuro-radiological, and genetic tests. Biochemical tests include evaluation of stimulated GH secretion and baseline IGF-1 determination. Although IGF-1 is the most reliable indicator of GH action, its value should always be interpreted in conjunction with other clinical and biochemical parameters. Since IGF-1 has good specificity (about 90%), but low sensitivity (about 70%), nor...

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an emerging disease in the pediatric population. The mechanisms responsible for the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in these patients are incompletely understood. Low serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels are associated with increased histologic severity of NAFLD. Growing evidence suggests that growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1 may have r...

Objectives: The etiopathogenetic of childhood obesity is related to genetic and environmental factors: not only caloric intake or physical activity have an important influence, but also circadian rhythms, including healthy sleep.The objectives of this study were: a) to analyze the different patterns and duration of sleep, eating habits, meal schedules, time dedicated to exercise and screens of obesity children; b) to evaluate its possibl...