ESPE Abstracts

Background: Obesity is highly prevalent worldwide, particularly in the MENA region. Whilst simple obesity has a variable genetic and environmental basis, syndromic and non-syndromic monogenic obesity has a strong genetic component. Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) mutations are the commonest cause of monogenic obesity. MC4R also regulates neuropathic pain pathways via JNK signaling after nerve injury.Methods: Five children...

Objective: Puberty has a significant contribution to different psychosocial wellbeing aspects. Hence; it is crucial to understand the normal variations in onset and tempo of puberty in a specific population. In this study, we aimed to provide normative data on timing of onset of puberty and age of menarche in Saudi schoolgirls in RiyadhMethods: This is a cross-sectional field study (2011-2013) including Saudi schoolgirls...

Background: Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus (NDM) is a rare form of monogenic diabetes that typically presents during the first 6 months of life. Its prevalence is about 1:100 000 live births; however it may rise up to 1:29 000 in highly consanguineous populations. Mutations in 22 different genes are reported; with the most common cause being potassium channel subunit gene (KCNJ11/ABCC8) mutations. However, causative mutations among consanguineous populations seem to diffe...

Aim: The objective of the study was to determine bone mineralisation density in Turner syndrome (TS) from DSD life cohort, and to analyse the trabecular (lumbar spine = LS) and cortical bone (femoral neck = FN) mineralisation.Materials and Methods: This study was part of the DSD-LIFE study, a cross-sectional clinical outcome study of the BMD of TS adult patients from paediatric cohorts. BMD of the LS and FN were ...

Background: Rathke cleft cysts are benign, epithelium-lined intrasellar and/or suprasellar cysts believed to originate from remnants of the Rathke pouch. Although its prevalence in adults is rather high, Rathke cleft cysts are rare in children. Often they are asymptomatic findings, however depending on their size and localization they can present with a wide spectrum of symptoms.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to analyse the symptoms a...

Background: Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ. Its secretion profile is robustly changed in the context of obesity fueling the development of comorbidities such as insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus type 2, and atherosclerosis. We have recently shown that the adipose tissue expression of the death ligand TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand TRAIL and its receptors is upregulated in obesity.Objective and Hypotheses: In this project, we in...

Background: Obesity is tightly associated with adipose tissue inflammation. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) has been identified as a key player in this inflammatory process and has been linked to the development of obesity-associated insulin resistance. Our group studies the involvement of TNF superfamily members in obesity-induced alterations in adipose tissue.Objective and hypotheses: Here, we aimed to identify the effects of the TNF superfamil...

Background: Ovarian tumors are rare in the pediatric age and are represented primarily by functional cysts and benign tumors, the most common is the mature teratoma.Objective and hypotheses: Assess clinical, radiological, etiological and scalable characteristics of ovarian tumors in the pediatric age.Method: Retrospective study of seven cases of ovarian tumors collected over a period of 20 years. All children received complete clin...

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls is characterized by an activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian (HPO) axis before 8 years of age. Given the gradual awakening of the GnRH pulse generator, a spectrum of presentations has been found among girls with premature sexual development. CPP are not easily distinguished from idiopathic precocious thelarche (PT) or other intermediate positions along this spectrum. The GnRH test is the gold standard t...

Background: Adrenal insufficiency in children is rare and potentially serious because of the risk of acute adrenal insufficiency. This complication is lethal in the absence of prompt and appropriate treatment. Aetiologies are dominated by the genetic causes.Objective and hypotheses: Report diagnostic circumstances,phenotypic forms and causes of adrenal insufficiency in children and adolescents.Method: This is a retrospective study ...