ESPE Abstracts

Background: Cell-mediated initiation of enchondral ossification is essential for growth plate maturation. The matrix mineralization inhibitors matrix Gla protein (MGP) and osteocalcin (OC) represent key regulators of matrix mineralization and are highly expressed in growth plate chondrocytes. Pharmacological or nutritional phylloquinone (K1) depletion is known to affect skeletal mineralization by reduced gamma-carboxilisation of MGP and OC. Constituents of mineral matrix such ...

Background: Difficulties in transition of adolescent Turner Syndrome (TS) patients to adult health care has been reported in many studies.Objective and hypotheses: We conducted a medical and psychological follow-up of adult patients with Turner Syndrome which had been treated at our tertiary pediatric endocrine centre.Method: We screened for expected comorbidities and provided a questionnaire asking for current medical care. Furthe...

Background: Progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH) is a rare condition characterized by extensive heterotopic ossification (HO) of connective tissues. Associations of HO and Albright hereditary dystrophy (AHO) lead to the identification of GNAS mutations to be causative for ectopic none formations. The highly imprinted GNAS locus is known to cause a broad spectrum of pathologic conditions, including pseudohypoparathyrodism (PHP), pseudoPHP AHO. While PHP is caused by maternal ...

Background: Dysregulation of phosphate homeostasis in diseases such as tumor-induced osteomalacia and chronic kidney disease are often associated with impairment of musculoskeletal tissue function. While various factors such as intracellular calcium levels and dysegulated endocrine mechanisms are thought to contribute, the role of single factors such as phosphate and its main regulating hormone FGF23 are only partly revealed.Objective and hypotheses: Ino...

Background: Congenital primary hypothyreoidism occurs in about 1 of 3 600 life births and is usually detected with newborn screening. Early levothyroxine treatment is the prerequisite for normal psychomotor development of affected children. However, patients suffering from congenital central hypothyroidism are missed by the screening procedure, which may lead to delayed diagnosis and therapy. In very rare cases central hypothyroidism is caused by isolated TSH deficiency due to...

Background: Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is a brain malformation caused by dysregulation of neuronal migration during cerebral development, resulting in nodular neuronal structures in the ventricular surface. Associated ectopy of the posterior pituitary has been reported in literature and is usually associated with deficiencies of the anterior pituitary. The occasion of an isolated central diabetes insipidus due to absence of the posterior pituita...

We report on a nearly 4-year-old girl who presented to the emergency room of our paediatric clinic with high fever and poor general condition, swelling of the neck and swallowing difficulties. Laboratory chemistry showed a marked hyperthyroid metabolic state, so that initially a thyrotoxic crisis in Graves' disease was considered (TSH 0.03 mU/L (-), fT4 28.10 pmol/l (+)). Therefore, a short-term therapy with thiamazole was given. The thyroid autoantibodies were negative. ...

Background: Brain tumours are the most frequent solid tumours during childhood. Many of these patients develop endocrine disorders.Objective: To describe our cohort of patients with primary brain tumours, followed in the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit at Hôpital Universitaire Necker–Enfants Malades, Paris, France between 2010–2015, to assess current practice and propose recommendations.Methods: Retrospective a...

Aggrecan, encoded by ACAN, is a major proteoglycan component in the extracellular matrix of the growth plate. At least 25 pathological ACAN mutations have been identified in patients with highly variable phenotypes of syndromic or non-syndromic short stature. A 6-year-old boy was referred to our Centre for short stature (height 103.60 cm, −3.14 SDS) in familial short stature. Mid-Parental target height was 161.15 cm (−2.38 SDS); His father (height 167.3 cm) is from...

The patient was referred to our Centre for short stature. Weight and length at birth were within normal limits. In the neonatal period he showed jaundice and hypoglycemia. A reduced growth velocity was reported from the age of six months. At 15 months his length was 70 cm (−3.75 SDS), his weight 8.1 kg (−2.26 SDS). Parental target height was 167.6 cm (−1.38 SDS). He had normal psychomotor development. The examination showed macrocrania and nasal voice. Blood ...