ESPE Abstracts

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are most relevant for morbidity and mortality in obese patients. Because metabolic complications already start in childhood obesity one may expect an early manifestation of cardiovascular disease in this group as young adults. In adults fetuin A was shown to promote adipocyte inflammation and metabolic syndrome and subsequently vascular damage.Objective and hypotheses: We evaluated the role of fetuin A in the vascular ...

Background: HbA1c was recommended as diagnostic tool in adults at risk for diabetes. In obese patients, HbA1c shows an association even with other features of metabolic syndrome. However, its value in pediatric population for this purpose has yet to be established.Material and methods: We determined HbA1c (IFCC method) in 307 overweight/obese children and adolescents (age 11.4±3.2; range 3.0–17.9 and BMI 27.9±4.7; range 20.4–47.6) val...

Background: Cystic fibrosis is associated with abnormal lipid metabolism and this anormality is commonly characterized by low cholesterol and hypertriglyceridemia. The increasing in life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients has enhancing the interest for prevent the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases like dyslipidemias.Objective and hypotheses: Determine whether concentrations of cholesterol and triacylglycerol are related to nutritional status a...

Background: Several studies have investigated the effects of GH replacement therapy (GHRT) on thyroid function in children with GH deficiency (GHD) leading to contrasting results. Indeed, GHRT has been reported to affect the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones, to alter TSH secretion by pituitary and to unmask secondary hypothyroidism.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate long-term effects of GHRT on thyroid function in a large cohort of GHD childr...

Background: GH deficiency (GHD) in adults has been consistently associated with increased adiposity and decreased lean mass. Data in childhood are still scanty and the most appropriate tools to assess body composition in these children remain to be established.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the effects of GHD and GH replacement therapy (GHRT) on body composition in GHD children and make a comparison between DXA and anthropometric measures in evalu...

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency in 95% of all cases. This disorder is related to the mutation of CYP21A2 gene that is located in a multiallelic complex called RCCX module showing tandem copy number variation. Molecular genetic analysis of genes located in such region is frequently difficult but the accurate diagnosis of patients suspected with CAH requires a complex molecular analysis.<...

Background: Recent studies demonstrate that children with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) may develop visceral adiposity and insulin-resistance. Data on adipocytokines are scanty and contradictory.Objective: To evaluate leptin and adiponectin concentrations in CAH adolescents and investigate their correlation with glucocorticoids and hormonal and metabolic profile.Methods: Leptin, adiponectin, insulin and HOMA were evaluated i...

Background: The prevalence of dysglycaemia is high among overweight children and adolescents. Current screening criteria with fasting laboratory values have low sensitivity to detect IGT. Fasting triglycerides (TG) >1.17 mmol/l has been proposed as a criterion for screening obese children and adolescents at risk for IGT.Aims and objectives: We aimed to compare the performance of different screening criteria for detecting IGT in obese and overweight c...

Background: GH transduction defect (GHTD) is characterised by severe short stature and impaired STAT3 phosphorylation, which is overcome by simultaneous induction of GHTD fibroblasts with 200 ng/ml GH and short interference mRNA CIS (GH200/siRNA) or with 1 000 ng/ml GH (GH1000) and is clinically expressed with ‘catch-up’ growth after rhGH treatment.Objective and hypotheses: The involvement of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the succe...

Background: epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates cell growth and differentiation through its receptor EGFR. Cross-talking between the GH and EGF signaling pathways is important for normal cellular development. GH transduction defect (GHTD), a clinical disorder characterized by impaired STAT3 phosphorylation due to excessive GHR degradation, is caused by over-expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, CIS.Induction of GHTD fibroblasts with 200 ng/ml hGH (GH200) and silencing mR...