ESPE Abstracts

Background: Children born small for gestational age (SGA) are predisposed to metabolic abnormalities. While the therapeutic benefit of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy in improving height is widely recognised, it can affect carbohydrate metabolism, potentially inducing diabetes.Objective and hypotheses: This ongoing, prospective study aims to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of Omnitrope® (somatropin) in children ...

Background: Puberty is characterised by important changes of brain networks. The glutamate system plays a main role in modulating the onset of puberty as shown for NMDA receptor agonists. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Metabotropic mGlu5 receptors (mGluR5) are tightly linked to NMDA receptors. The effect of mGluR5 blockade on neurohormonal mechanisms in puberty initiation were not studied yet.Objective and hypotheses: To invest...

Background: Hypercalcaemia secondary to malignancy is rare in children and adolescents. Parathyroid hormone related peptide (PTH-rP) secreted by malignant cells increases bone resorption and renal calcium retention causing hypercalcaemia. We report 2 cases of hypercalcaemia of malignancy refractory to treatment with pamidronate and corticosteroids but responsive to treatment with Denosumab and Zoledronic acid.Case 1: A 17-year-old boy with epidermolysis ...

Background: POMC plays a major role in central body weight regulation. Recently we have shown that a POMC hypermethylation variant is significantly associated with obesity in children and adolescents (Kuehnen et al. PLoS Genetics 2012).Objective and hypotheses: Here we report about our extended studies to elucidate the mechanism behind the occurrence of the POMC hypermethylation variant in obese individuals.<p clas...

Background: Adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) in children is rare and aggressive, with the mainstay of treatment being surgical resection, although there have been recent improvements in outcomes with chemotherapy. Further characterisation of the presenting features and biochemical markers are needed to support earlier diagnosis. Refractory hypertension related to high cortisol concentrations prior to surgery, and post-operative decrease in cortisol can be chal...

Background: Growth hormone insensitivity (GHI) encompasses normal/elevated growth hormone (GH), low IGF-I levels and growth restriction. Non-classical/mild-moderate GHI is an emerging entity which is poorly characterised, and, in many subjects, the underlying cause is unclear. Heterozygous dominant negative (DN) variants located in the intracellular/transmembrane domain of the GH receptor (GHR) cause a ‘non-classical’ GHI phenotype.<p class="abst...

Objective: Although low birthweight (bw) and unfavourable intrauterine conditions have been associated with metabolic sequelae in later life, little is known about their impact on glucocorticoid metabolism. We studied monozygotic twins with intra-twin bw-differences from birth to adolescence to analyse the long-term impact of bw and catch-up growth on glucocorticoid metabolism.Methods: 46 monozygotic prepubertal twin-pai...

Background: severe primary insulin-like growth factor-1 deficiency (SPIGFD) is a rare growth disorder. Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) (rhIGF-1; Increlex® [mecasermin]) replacement therapy is EU and US-approved for treating growth failure due to SPIGFD. The long-term therapeutic objective of rhIGF-1 treatment in SPIGFD is to improve adult height (AH). Objective: to describe the characteristics, safety and effectiveness data ...

Background: severe primary insulin-like growth factor-1 deficiency (SPIGFD) is a rare growth disorder, for which insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) generation test (IGFGT) is debated as a complementary diagnostic analysis. Diagnostic workup for SPIGFD varies geographically and diagnosis is delayed by the rarity of the condition (<1/10,000). Evaluation of real-world practices of IGFGT could help facilitate diagnosis and test use. Objective: to describe rea...

Background: Linear growth during spontaneous puberty contributes approximately 20% to adult height in healthy subjects. The impact of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) on final height in transgender adolescents is sparsely studied.Aim: We aimed to investigate the growth and final height of Danish transgender adolescents.Methods: Our national cohort of transgender adolescents ...