ESPE Abstracts

Background: Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) have familial aggregation and frequently share a common genetic background, but few studies have evaluated autoimmune clusters in children with AIDs and their families.Objective and hypotheses: To identify clusters of AIDs in children and their first-degree relatives.Method: A cross-sectional study was performed in subjects with an AID of pediatric onset (<18 years) recruited at Pediatric ...

Background: SGPL1 deficiency is associated with a pathological accumulation of sphingolipid intermediates and a multi-systemic condition incorporating primary adrenal insufficiency. Sphingolipid intermediates such as ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine 1-phosphate are postulated to act as modulators of the steroidogenic pathway, often acting as second messengers altering downstream expression of steroid responsive transcriptional elements. Ceramide and sphin...

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare condition (estimated incidence 1:4–8 million), caused by mutations in LMNA gene, which leads to premature aging. Median life expectancy is shortened to 13 years due to vascular complications such as stroke or myocardial infarction. We present below the history of a child born with a pathogenic LMNA variant c.433G>A (p.Glu145Lys). A male patient was referred due to failure to thrive and low growth velocit...

Background: Steroid hormones produced by the human fetal adrenals (HFA) are suggested to regulate intrauterine homeostasis and the maturation of certain fetal organs necessary for extrauterine life. Appropriate development and hormonal function of the HFA therefore are critical for normal fetal maturation and survival. Little is known about the possible relationship between the expression of steroidogenic enzymes and corresponding transcription factors in the HFA in vivo</...

Introduction: Little is known about the effects of puberty suppression (PS) and hormone therapy (HT) on growth and adult height in transgender adolescents. These are topics of interest since height differs between sexes and some transgirls wish to limit their growth. In this longitudinal cohort study, we investigated the influence of PS and HT on growth and the efficacy of growth reduction therapy in transgender girls.Methods:</s...

Introduction: The use of long-term oral corticosteroid in DMD is associated with a range of side effects including secondary adrenal insufficiency. The updated international care consensus (2018) recognizes this important issue and recommends emergency plans to be in place.Aim: This online UK-wide patient survey aims to determine the advice and education given for sick day dosing plans and the impact of the COVID-19 pand...

Background: The female gonadal axis is activated in mini-puberty and thereafter it is quiescent until puberty. We have shown that many girls with no clinical sign of puberty in the age group 1-6 yr. have a rather strong luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) response to a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) test. However, stimulated LH and FSH values decreased in the age interval 1-6 yr and no LH/FSH values rose above 0.43. Serum est...

Introduction: Virilization and hirsutism are clinical findings of androjen excess in females mostly due to polycystic ovary syndrome, although androgenic drugs, nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia and androgen secreting adrenal/ovarian lesions are also implicated. 46, XX ovotesticular disorder of sex development (DSD) is the rarest form of DSD with an incidence of less than 1 in 20000.Case report: A 15-year-old ado...

Introduction: Hirsutism is a condition defined as excessive male-pattern hair growth in females most commonly caused by hyperandrogenism. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), non-classic adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency and androgen-secreting tumors represent causes of androgen excess. Common features such as hirsutism, polycystic ovaries, oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, and insulin resistance make it hard to distinguish between the first...

Background: Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) causes early-onset extreme obesity and hyperphagia that is hypothesized to arise from leptin receptor dysfunction. Setmelanotide, a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) peptide agonist, has been shown to induce weight loss in individuals affected by other rare genetic obesity disorders resulting from leptin-melanocortin pathway dysfunction upstream of MC4R.Objective: Report preliminary data on body weight, hunger scores,...