ESPE Abstracts

Background: Mutations in the nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) gene are a rare cause of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), as well as cardiomyopathies and functional impairment of the gonads.Objective: Despite the description of different NNT mutations in homozygosis and compound heterozygosis in PAI patients, it remains to be clarified to which extent the function and expression of the m...

Background and hypothesis: Mitochondrial disorders are multisystemic conditions associated with sensorineural hearing loss, encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and non-autoimmune diabetes. The majority of molecular etiologies involve mutations in the genes encoding the oxidative phosphorylation system's components. Superoxide generation is significantly increased and causes oxidative damage in the affected tissues in these disorders. The establishment of ...

Background: Polyuria and polydipsia syndrome (PPS) workup is not straightforward, especially in children. Basal investigations are often not reliable in distinguishing among diabetes insipidus (DI), central (CDI) or nephrogenic (NDI), and primary polydipsia (PP). Water deprivation test (WDT) is often essential, although uncomfortable and not always reliable enough to recognize partial DI. Plasma AVP investigation is not routinely used in the diagnostic pathway...

Background: Inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) comprises a cluster of genetic disorders characterized by blistering of skin and mucosae following minimal mechanical traumas. Severely affected individuals have high risk of extracutaneous complications, including chronic undernourishment and low bone mass.Objective and hypotheses: The aims of this study were to assess the areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and vitamin D status of children and adolescents ...

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...