ESPE Abstracts

Background: Genomic imprinting causes genes to be expressed or repressed depending on their parental origin. The 1-Mb DLK1-DIO3 imprinted domain is located on human chromosome 14. Gene expression along this cluster is regulated by an intergenic differentially methylated imprinting control region (‘IG-DMR’). In mice, altered gene dosage within this cluster is associated with alterations in embryonic and placental growth.Objective and hy...

Background: Maternal obesity can have long-term consequences for the offspring’s health, including increased risk of type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The C19MC imprinted locus on chromosome 19q13.4 comprises a cluster of 46 microRNAs, which are usually expressed only in the placenta and from the paternal allele exclusively. Besides its role favouring trophoblast migration, the C19MC locus is deregulated in several human cancers. It is unknown ...

Background: Prenatal dexamethasone treatment (Pdex) has been used since the 1980s to prevent virilization in female offspring suspected to have congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). However, due to lack of strong evidence for its best practice as well as limited data regarding long term adverse effects, use of dex is highly controversial. This study reveals the current medical practice regarding Pdex in female fetuses at risk of CAH due to 21 hydroxylase defic...

Background: Diazoxide and octreotide are first and second-line of treatment for HH respectively. Long-acting somatostatin analogue (Lanreotide, LA) has been used in adults with neuroendocrine conditions through its effect on somatostatin receptors 2 (SSTR2) and 5 (SSTR5).Objective and hypotheses: (i) To evaluate the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of LA therapy in children with HH. (ii) To determine somatostatin receptor expression on pancreatic al...

Introduction: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is the most common genetic condition in the spectrum of differences of sex development (DSD). Surgery in DSD is a controversial topic and there is no consensus if to perform surgery, how to perform surgery, and when to perform surgery. The current study was designed to evaluate the current practice in CAH related surgical practice in girls.Patients and Methods: All cases...

Background: Congenital Hyperinsulinism International (CHI) is an international non-profit organization focused on improving the lives of patients and families living with hyperinsulinism (HI). Despite many advances in the care of patients with HI, long term neurologic outcomes have not significantly improved, highlighting the need for CHI’s goals for robust and rapidly translatable research. We describe the development of a collaborative research network...

Background: Molecular defects are rarely detected in Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) patients.Objective and Hypotheses: We hypothesized that the frequency of causative molecular defects could be higher in cases with early onset of POI. Moreover, the analysis of multiple genes in the same POI group could disclose co-existence of more than one molecular aberration.Method: In 25 subjects, aged 17.1±7 years at POI onset, bid...

Background: Sotos syndrome is characterized by overgrowth. The four mayor criteria for diagnosis are: overgrowth (accelerated bone age), macrocephaly, characteristic facial features and developmental delay. They can also present escoliosis, heart or genitourinary disease, seizures, hypotonia, cerebral malformations, feeding difficulties, hearing loss and a greater risk of tumours.Case report: A 10 months old girl was referred for overgrowth. BW and BL wa...

Background: Bone involvement is described as a relevant sign in patients suffering Gaucher disease (GD).Objective and hypotheses: To analyze the long-term effect of enzyme replacement therapy on bone mineral density, a retrospective observational study was conducted in a cohort of 34 GD pediatric patients (14 males, 20 females, median age 11.3 years).Method: Lumbar spine (LS) (L2–L4, N: 34) and total body (TB) (N: 24) bone min...

Objective: To present a patient with hypercalcemia caused by a parathyroid adenoma and a deletion of the VDR gene.Case clinic: The case is that of a 13-year-old male who presented with hypercalcemia, muscle weakness, nephrocalcinosis, two pathological fractures and a family history of nephrocalcinosis. Physical examination was unremarkable, except the presence of a fracture of the left femur. Laboratory findings: Total s...