ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Bone fragility or predisposition to fractures with low-impact energy is a rare but potentially limiting condition. Variations in PLS3 gene are a cause of monogenic osteoporosis due to the alteration of osteoclast and osteocyte function and bone mineralization. It is characterized by early-onset osteoporosis, peripheral fractures, vertebral compression fractures and thoracic kyphosis. Due to its X-linked inheritance, the phenotype is more severe i...

Introduction: Overgrowth syndromes comprise an heterogeneous group of rare disorders characterized by generalized or segmental excessive growth commonly associated with additional features, such as developmental delay, visceromegaly and macrocephaly. They may present with inherent health concerns and, in some instances, an increased risk of tumor development requiring prompt diagnosis and appropriate referral.Objective: ...

Background: Patients born small for gestational age (SGA) with additional syndromic features to short stature are likely to present with genetic causes.Aim: To perform a clinical and genetic-molecular investigation of a group of syndromic SGA patients without catch-up growth.Methods: We selected 118 patients born SGA [birth weight and/or length standard deviation score (SDS) ≤−2 for gestational age] without catch-up gro...

Background: Some IGFALS variants have been reported in more than one ALS-deficient family raising the question whether they originated from a single common ancestor allele (founder effect) or alternatively, as independent mutational events (hot spot). Since c.103dupG (p.E35Gfs*17) is located in a stretch of five consecutive guanine residues, where both G-duplication and deletion have been described in several families, we speculate that this region could be a hot spot...

Background: DLK1 (PREF1) is a key inhibitor of adipogenesis and adipocyte differentiation. Adipose tissue expansion depends on adequate adipocyte differentiation. However, whether lower DLK1 expression facilitates adipose tissue expansion following fetal growth restriction is so far unknown.Objective and hypotheses: To study the expression of DLK1 in the adipose tissue of prenatally growth-restricted rats and its relat...

Background: Small birth size followed by accelerated weight gain in early life is associated with an increased risk for age-associated diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) in later life. The underlying causes for this are largely unknown. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a marker of biological age and short LTL is associated with increased CVD-risk. Subjects born small for gestational age (SGA) who remain short are treated with growth hormone (GH) to improve adult ...

Background: Subjects born preterm have an increased risk for ageing-associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) in later life but the underlying cause is largely unknown. Telomere length (TL) is a usable index for ageing, with shorter TL indicating older biological age. Furthermore, short TL is associated with CVD.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate TL in subjects born preterm compared to term and to assess if TL is associated with risk...

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP) results from activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys. The molecular basis of the maturation of this axis is still poorly understood. The MRKN3 gene located in the Prader-Willi syndrome critical region (chromosome 15q11–q13), inhibit factors stimulating pulsative. GnRH secretion. In 2013 inactivating mutations in the MRKN3 gene were discovered...

Aim: Recommendations for the management of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) outline a target 17-OH Progesterone (17OHP) of 12-36nmol/l, but do not specify target concentrations for Androstenedione (D4). We aimed to study the temporal variations of these biomarkers in patients from different geographical regions.Method: This retrospective multi-centre study, including 21 centres (14 countries), analysed serum biomarke...

Background: Primary IGF1 deficiency can result from molecular defects in genes encoding for the GHR, IGF1, STAT5b and ALS. Heterozygous, activating mutations in the STAT3 gene have been recently described in children with severe growth failure associated with a spectrum of early-onset autoimmune disease.Case presentation: We report the molecular diagnosis in two unrelated patients with severe growth failure and IGF1 deficiency: P1, a 3.6 year ol...