ESPE Abstracts

Background: Genetic causes of central precocious puberty (CPP) has been increasingly recognized, extending our knowledge of the triggering factors of human pubertal timing. Distinct etiologies remain to be elucidated in sporadic and familial cases. Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) is a chromatin-associated protein that can activate or repress gene transcription, playing a role in neuronal maturation. It is encoded by MECP2 gene located at chromoso...

Background: Several genetic defects (GHR, SHOX, GHSR, NPR2, IGFALS) have been reported in children classified as ISS. ISS children are GH sufficient and about one third of them show low IGF-I levels, suggesting some degree of GH insensitivity.Objective: To explore potential genetic defects in ISS children suspicious of GH insensitivity, selected by low IGF-I levels and low response to IGF generation test.<...

DSD-LIFE is a comprehensive clinical outcome study investigating medical, surgical, psychosocial, and ethical issues to improve treatment and care of patients with the different diagnoses included in the umbrella term disorders/differences of sex development (DSD). The multidisciplinary DSD-LIFE consortium consists of 15 experienced European scientists in the areas endocrinology, psychology, surgery, gynaecology, urology, and ethics. In 2013 the study protocol and the online d...

Background and aim: Congenital growth hormone deficiency (cGHD) is a rare but life-threatening condition whose diagnosis is challenging in the absence of reliable reference values, both in healthy neonates and in preterm ones. We recently estimated GH reference interval in 1036 healthy, at-term newborns (HN) form dried blood spot samples using a previously validated analytical method.Aim: of this study is to provide valu...

KBG syndrome (OMIM 148050) is a an emerging autosomal dominant disorder caused by heterozygous mutations in the ANKRD11 gene or deletions of 16q24.3, characterized by developmental delay, short stature, dysmorphic facial features and skeletal anomalies. Patients and methods: We report 22 patients with dysmorphic features, learning disabilities, behavior problems and macrodontia, where a clinical diagnosis of KBG was suspected. An ANKRD11 defect was confirmed in 12 patients. In...

Background: Sitosterolemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by intestinal hyperabsorption and decreased biliary excretion of dietary plant sterol, due to mutations in adenosine-triphosphate (ATP)-binding-cassette (ABC) transporter family (ABCG8 and ABCG5).Case report: A 7.86 years old boy was referred to the Childhood Lipid Clinic due to incidental finding of hypercholesterolemia: total cholesterol 524 mg/dl (13.54 mmol/l), LDL-choles...

Background: With improvements in assays and an increasing need for non-invasive out-patient based investigations, there is a renewed interest in the use of urinary gonadotrophins (uGn) for assessing pubertal progress.Objective and hypotheses: This study aims to establish the correlation between serum and urinary LH and FSH in patients with pubertal concerns.Method: 36 boys and girls aged 14.9 years (range 7.8–17.3) and 9.5 yea...

Background: Maternal diabetes is a pathologic state that increases the incidence of complications in both the mother and the foetus. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) may exhibit reproductive abnormalities, including PCOS and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Diabetes during pregnancy is an endocrine disruptor and studies performed in animal models have shown abnormalities in gonadal function in the offspring, but it is unknown whether pre-gestational (PGDM) and gestational di...

Background: Growth is a complex process influenced by several genetic factors both pre and postnatal, in which 80% of the height variation is explained by genetic factors. Nevertheless, the standard medical evaluation of short stature (SS) relies upon physical examination and laboratory parameters and identifies a pathological cause of SS in 1–40% of individuals. Recent advances in genetic diagnosis are revolutionizing the clinician’s ability to obtain a molecular di...

Background: In total of 48,XXYY Syndrome occurs in 1:20.000–1:50.000 male births. It used to be considered as a variant of Klinefelter syndrome, but now it is considered as a distinct clinical and genetic entity with increased risks for congenital malformations, additional medical problems and more complex psychological and neurodevelopmental involvement. 48,XXYY Syndrome results from the fertilization of a normal female oocyte (Xm), with an aneuploid sperm (XpYpYp) produ...