ESPE Abstracts

Background: Obesity has increased drastically in the last few years. It’s well known the connection between intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and the development of metabolic syndrome based on the thrifty phenotype. Some studies have proposed that a poor intrauterine environment could lead to the development of chronic conditions later in life, and its believed leptin is involved in this process.Objective and hypotheses: Establish the mean of l...

Background: Pancreatic epithelial cells represent an attractive cell source for replacement therapy of type 1 diabetes. Previously, we designed a protocol for expansion of human pancreatic duct-derived cells (HDDCs) and showed their β-cell engineering potential.Objective and hypotheses: In this study, we reprogrammed HDDCs into β-cell-like lineage by over-expressing mRNAs of key pancreatic transcription factors (TFs).Meth...

Background and Aims: A pre-clinical stage of type 1 diabetes (T1D) often precedes by many years the overt clinical symptoms. Diagnosis during this period is often difficult and is based on the presence of specific islet autoantibodies in the subject's blood. First-degree relatives of patients with T1D were tested using the 3 Screen ICA TM ELISA (RSR Ltd) for combined testing for autoantibodies to GAD65 (glutamic acid decarboxylase, 65kDa isoform), ZnT8 (z...

A 5-year-old Moroccan patient comes to our attention due to impaired gait with pain in the lower limbs, easy fatigue and poor gain in weight and stature. In the previous months he had some episodes of abdominal pain. During our first physical examination he was pale, with diffuse muscular hypotrophy, uncertain gait with an enlarged base, dubious hypertrophy of the calves and Gowers' sign. No varus / valgus of the lower limbs. Symmetrical and normo-evocable osteotendinous ...

Background: Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is a rare genetic syndrome characterized by postnatal growth retardation, intellectual disability, microcephaly, peculiar facial features, broad thumbs and big toes and other organs malformations. There are two forms: RSTS type 1 characterized by CREBBP gene mutations (16p13.3); RSTS type 2 dues to mutations/ deletions in EP300 gene (22q13.2). The type 2 is associated with mild phenotype with possible absence of the typical diagnost...

Background: There is wide geographic variation in the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at onset of diabetes from ~15–70% in Europe and North America.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the frequency of DKA at the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the paediatric population seen in the Department of Pediatric Diabetology of Turin (Italy) from 1/1/2008 to 31/12/2013.Method: Data (venous pH and HCO3, season at the onset)...

Background: Thyroid disorders (subclinical hypothyroidism and structural abnormalities) are common in Williams syndrome (WS) patients.Objective and hypotheses: Central hypothyroidism and GH deficiency (GHD) in a WS patient are discussed.Method: Case report and literature review.Results: A 5-month-old male was admitted to our hospital because of growth failure since the 3rd month, mild dysmorphisms, micropenis...

Background: Congenital leptin deficiency is a rare cause of early-onset severe obesity. Clinical features of congenital leptin deficiency include early-onset severe obesity, marked hyperphagia, endocrine and metabolic alterations. Some patients have immune dysregulation.Case report: We describe two siblings from Libya referred for severe obesity. A boy (patient 1) referred at the age of 4 years and 3 months and a girl (p...

Introduction: Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is routinely performed to identify brain lesions in boys with central precocious puberty (CPP). In contrast to girls, in whom more than 90% of cases are idiopathic, it has been reported that 4 up to 75% of boys with CPP have pathological brain lesions.Aim: to evaluate the prevalence of brain lesions in males with isolated CPP and to identify potential clinical and bioc...

Background: Vitamin D supplementation is widely recommended to infants, but the optimal dose remains unclear. Vitamin D regulates calcium metabolism, and overdosing and high intake may result in hypercalcemia.Objective and hypotheses: We measured serum pH-adjusted ionized calcium (Ca-ion/pH 7.40) concentrations at 6 and 12 months and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25-OHD) at 12 months in order to evaluate the risk of hypercalcemia during vitamin D3 su...