ESPE Abstracts

Background: Several methods have been used to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular diseases in obese children. Both BMI and waist-to-hip ratio were suggested as risk factors. However, they did not prove to estimate the risk for cardiovascular events in adulthood. Recent studies suggest that the ratio of waist circumference to body height (WHtR) is a more reliable predictor for cardiovascular risk in 6-10-year old children (Kuba et al. 2013).Objec...

Background: Vitamin D is now recognised as a prohormone, essential for the maintenance of mineral homeostasis, calcium metabolism and normal skeletal architecture. 30 ng/ml or greater can be considered sufficient serum levels. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among severely obese children is almost 49% caused by the fact that it is sequestered in the larger body pool of fat of such individuals, being vitamin D fat soluble. Vitamin D deficiency has been recently associate...

Background: Terminal deletions of chromosome 15q are associated with different degrees of pre- and post-natal growth failure, dysmorphic features, functional impairments and congenital anomalies. Although monosomies of 15q26 do not represent a classical contiguous gene syndrome, candidate genes for selected features have been identified. Short stature is referred to deletions of the IGF1-R gene, located on 15q26.3. We demonstrate evidence of phenotype comparable with 15q26 mon...

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents one of the most common complains for adolescent girls to present to endocrinologist. PCOS has the potential to affect the young person both metabolically, physically, psychologically and socially.Objective: To evaluate the metabolic and psychological consequences of PCOS in adolescent girls.Method: Adolescent girls admitted in the Endocrinology Department of Children Emergency...

Background: Heterozygous alterations of SHOX and its regulatory region PAR1 are identified in approximately 70% of Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis and 2–5% of idiopathic short stature cases. Identification of a SHOX mutation enables GH treatment to be offered to the patient.Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of seven patients with SHOX haploinsufficiency and their evolution.Method: Retrospective analysis of ...

Background: In paediatric CNS tumours, germ cell neoplasms usually produce endocrine disorders helping an early diagnosis.Objective and hypotheses: To describe presenting symptoms in paediatric CNS germ cell tumours and endocrine abnormalities on follow-up.Methods: We reviewed the records of children and adolescents aged under 14 who were followed in our unit presenting a CNS germ cell tumour. Endocrine abnormalities at diagnosis a...

Background: Children affected by cerebral palsy (CP) could experience central precocious puberty (CPP) 20 times more than general population. Nevertheless, the treatment is challenging.Objective and hypotheses: To compare CPP features and the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy (GnRHa) in children with CP and in controls.Method: The study involved 16 children with CPP and CP (median age (range) at diagnosis of...

Background and Aim: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a well-known condition. Nevertheless, recent questions in clinical practice, especially in neonatal intensive care setting, prompted us to review the natural history of CH in our cohort.Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study collecting anamnestic, anthropometric (height SDS, BMI SDS), diagnostic (TSH, fT4, thyroid ultrasound) and therapeutic data (dose ...

Introduction: Homozygous loss-of-function mutations of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene result in GH insensitivity due to a dysfunctional receptor protein. Heterozygous mutations may result in a variable clinical spectrum ranging from normal height to severe short stature. Gain-of-function variants have been reported rarely.Case Report: We hereby report the case of a Russian boy who was referred to our endocrine o...

Introduction: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of genetic diseases characterized by impaired cortisol synthesis. 95% of CAH cases result from mutation in the CYP21A2 gene encoding 21-hydroxilase. TNX-B gene partially overlaps CYP21A2 and encodes a matrix protein called Tenascin-X (TNX). Complete tenascin deficiency causes Enlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). A variant called CAH-X, has recently been described, resulting from CYP21...