ESPE Abstracts

Objectives: Children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) are usually treated with once-daily injections of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH). Somatrogon is a long-acting rhGH (LAGH) approved in the EU and other countries for once-weekly treatment of children with short stature. The Pfizer Registry of Outcomes in Growth hormone RESearch (PROGRES) study will assess the long-term safety and effectiveness of once-weekly somatrogon and once-daily rhGH prepar...

Background: Prenatal dexamethasone (DEX) treatment is in many countries offered to the pregnant woman, at risk of having a child with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), to reduce virilization in an affected female fetus. The treatment is effective in reducing virilization but may give long lasting effects on somatic and cognitive health. Here, we explore the potential effect on metabolism in children and adults not having CAH and exposed to DEX during the first trim...

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is one of the most common autosomal recessive disorders, affecting around 1/10 000 newborns worldwide. Postnatally, patients with classic CAH are treated with life-long glucocorticoid (GC) replacement therapy, such as hydrocortisone or prednisolone, and in the more severe cases also with mineralocorticoids. A negative impact of GCs on human cognition such as memory deficits have been reported bot...

Background: Prenatal treatment with dexamethasone (DEX) has been used since the mid 80’s to minimize virilisation of girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Long-term data on treatment safety and health outcome are still limited. It has been shown in animal models that prenatal dexamethasone treatment affects DNA methylation signatures as well as metabolism and behavior. We have previously shown that DEX affects working memory in children who were treated with DEX duri...

Background: Gender differences in sex steroids and IGF1 are well known from pubertal years into adulthood. Few studies report data from pre-school years.Objective and hypotheses: To study gender specific changes in sex steroids and IGF1 at birth and at 5 years of age and correlate these with auxological measurements. There are gender differences in IGF1 levels due to differences in sex steroids already at birth and during pre-school years.<p class="a...

Background: Granulosa cell tumors (GCT) originate from sex cord/stromal tissue in the gonad. They are typically located in an ovary, but extra-gonadal localisation exists. These tumors are extremely rare in children and no systematic review has been published. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the following questions: What is the clinical picture of girls with a GCT? How are these patients treated and what is their prognosis?<p class="a...

Background: Patients with autoimmune Addison’s disease (AAD) lack production of glucocorticoids (GCs), mineralocorticoids (MCs) and androgens from the adrenal gland, due to autoimmune destruction of its cortex. Patients require replacement of GCs and MCs for the rest of their lives. In some cases, testosterone is supplemented in females. Brain function is sensitive to fluctuations in cortisol and may therefore be affected in AAD due to long-term disturba...

Background: Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) are at risk of several co-morbidities, such as impaired cognitive functions, short stature and adverse effects on metabolism. The causes of these effects are suboptimal glucocorticoid replacement therapy, adrenal crises and prenatal glucocorticoid exposure. However, there are no data available to this day how these factors are affecting epigenomic programs.Objective and hypot...

Background: Individuals with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are treated postnatally with glucocorticoids. Earlier research with animals and other disorders with excess GC exposure implicate that GCs can influence memory. Deficits in working memory can be seen already during childhood in children with classic CAH.Objective: We tested the hypothesis that adult individuals with classic CAH show impaired cognitive functions.<p class="abstex...

Background: Small for gestational age (SGA) children have reportedly increased DHEAS levels during prepubertal years. However, steroid hormones have not been followed longitudinally in a healthy population compared to body composition.Aims and objectives: To evaluate steroid hormone patterns in prepubertal children correlated to visceral fat measures.Methods: Body composition was investigated with magnetic resonance (MR) of truncal...