ESPE Abstracts

Background: Crohn’s disease is a relapsing systemic inflammatory disorder with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNFα. More than 80% of newly diagnosed children present with growth failure Paediatric gastroenterology units in the UK submit data to the UK IBD database which can be accessed when required. One aim of current treatment protocols is to promote growth. Studies on the use of anti-TNFα antibodi...

Background: Disruption of homeostatic functioning of the hypothalamic centres results in hyperphagia, autonomic imbalance, reduction of energy expenditure, and hyperinsulinemia. A syndrome of rapid, unrelenting weight gain is often observed in patients with structural lesions of the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic obesity syndrome (HOS) is often refractory to standard dietary and lifestyle interventions. It has been reported that metformin induces anorectic effects via an increase ...

Background: There is evidence that baseline and peak cortisol response to the low dose short Synacthen test (LDSST) varies with pubertal status and gender in children with asthma on inhaled corticosteroids. There are no published data reporting effects of puberty on cortisol response to the insulin tolerance test (ITT) in childhood and adolescence.Objective and hypotheses: To determine whether pubertal status, age or gender influence basal and peak corti...

Introduction: Congenital Hyperinsulism (CHI) is a common cause of recurrent and persistent hypoglycemia in the neonatal period. Diazoxide is the first line medication used for the management of CHI. We report the clinical profile and the management outcome of a large cohort of patients with diazoxide responsive CHI.Methodology: A retrospective data collection including antenatal, perinatal and postnatal clinical parameters, laboratory di...

Introduction: Long-acting growth hormone (LaGH) therapy has emerged as a newer treatment option for children with growth hormone deficiency, offering a convenient way of administering growth hormone (GH) injections on a weekly basis. Trials have shown that LaGH formulations are effective in increasing height velocity, improving bone mineral density, and reducing body fat mass in children with Growth hormone deficiency (GHD). The once weekly injections also hav...

Background: Short stature is the commonest problem encountered in endocrine clinics. Accuracy in opportunistic measurements is helpful in guiding subsequent management regarding medication doses including growth hormone treatment. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors affecting inaccurate height measurements in different non-Endo clinic visits in our tertiary institute.Methods: A retrospective cohort study...

Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) is a rare heterogeneous syndrome associated with severe prenatal and postnatal growth retardation.Context: There is little information on puberty onset and bone age trend in children with SRS.Study Design and partecipants: Retrospective observational study, including patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SRS divided in 2 molecular groups [ 11p15 loss of methylation, (...

Background: Osteogenesis imperfecta / Ehlers–Danlos (OI/EDS) overlap syndrome is a rare and recently described disorder of connective tissue, characterized by mutation of COL1A1 (17q21.33) or COL1A2 (7q21.3) genes, involved in alpha-1 and alpha-2 chains of type 1 collagen synthesis. Patients with OI/EDS overlap syndrome could show a phenotype characterized by features of both osteogenesis imperfecta (bone fragility, long bone fractures, blue sclerae, sho...

Achondroplasia is a rare genetic condition caused by a recurrent pathogenetic variant in the FGFR3 gene resulting in short limb skeletal dysplasia. Due to the wide-ranging anomalies associated with achondroplasia (both peculiar clinical features and complications), a multidisciplinary team is often required for ongoing care, although the nature of specialists involved differs among countries. Despite a European consensus on principles for the management of achondropla...

Background: Since COVID-19 the number of girls referred to pediatric endocrinologist for suspected precocious puberty (PP) and early puberty (EP) has increased. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence, the anthropometric, biochemical and radiological characteristics of PP during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to previous years.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated medical records of 464 females (F) referred t...