ESPE Abstracts

Background: Several studies have investigated the effects of GH replacement therapy (GHRT) on thyroid function in children with GH deficiency (GHD) leading to contrasting results. Indeed, GHRT has been reported to affect the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones, to alter TSH secretion by pituitary and to unmask secondary hypothyroidism.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate long-term effects of GHRT on thyroid function in a large cohort of GHD childr...

Background: Microdeletions of 14q22q23 have been associated with eye abnormalities. Other symptoms in deletion carriers are less well recognized.Objective and hypotheses: We focused on growth characteristics and response to GH treatment in two unrelated children with 14q22q23 deletions.Method: Array comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH).Results: Both patients displayed bilateral anophthalmia. Their brain M...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of persistent hypoglycaemia in the neonatal period, characterized by unregulated insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells. In addition to medical therapy, frequent feeding to prevent hypoglycaemia is one of the most important aspects in the management of CHI.Objective and hypotheses: To identify the number of patients with CHI who have associated feeding difficulties and determine ...

Background: GH deficiency (GHD) in adults has been consistently associated with increased adiposity and decreased lean mass. Data in childhood are still scanty and the most appropriate tools to assess body composition in these children remain to be established.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the effects of GHD and GH replacement therapy (GHRT) on body composition in GHD children and make a comparison between DXA and anthropometric measures in evalu...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of the persistent hypoglycemia in children. Mutations in KCNJ11 and ABCC8 genes coding potassium channel subunits are responsible for a significant proportion of CHI patients. The type of mutation correlates with the type of B-cell hyperplasia (focal or diffuse), and determinates further diagnostics, treatment and prognosis of disorder.Aims and objectives: The aim of ...

Background: The hCG stimulation test is a valuable method for assessing androgen production but there is a need to explore its utility in assessing androgen responsiveness and long-term prognosis.Objective and hypothesis: Our aim was to explore the effect of hCG stimulation on the peripheral transcriptome in boys undergoing investigation for DSD.Method: Thirteen boys undergoing investigation for 46,XY DSD received i.m. hCG 1500 U o...

Background: ‘Thelarche variant’ (TV), also known as ‘unsustained/slowly progressive puberty’ or ‘exaggerated thelarche’, is a term used to describe girls with premature thelarche and intermediate features between isolated premature thelarche (PT) and central precocious puberty (CPP). Despite being characterized by a FSH predominant response and by a peak LH response <5 IU/L to GnRH test, a univocal definition is lacking.<...

Background: Type 1 pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA1) is a rare syndrome characterized by unresponsiveness to aldosterone. Diagnosis is established by high levels of aldosterone and plasma renin activity, associated with findings of hypoaldosteronism (hyponatremia, hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis). When the inheritance pattern is autosomal recessive it expresses as a severe systemic disease and the mortality rate is high, especially in the neonatal period....

Introduction: Somatropin has been the standard treatment for Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) since 1985. Nowadays, has been approved for the treatment of other diseases, as: Small for gestational age (SGA), Turner syndrome (TS) and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS).Aims: Assess the efficacy of somatropin in children followed in a tertiary Hospital, at 12 and 24 months of treatment, and to compare the results based on the patie...

11-year-old female, admitted in the emergency room due to postprandial hyperglycemia (350 mg/dL) in her father´s glucometer without ketosis or acidosis. She referred one-month evolution of mild symptoms, as polydipsia, polyuria, sporadic abdominal pain and nocturia.She was the first child of non-consanguineous parents, born full term at vaginal delivery with a birth weight of 3760g (90th percentile). Since 5-years-old her weight was betwe...