ESPE Abstracts

Obese children are at risk for increased DHEAS production, which is assumed to arise from hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, increased IGF-1 production or chronic low grade inflammation. Exaggerated adrenarche is suspected to be a forerunner of polycystic ovary syndrome in girls, but its consequences in obese boys are less well studied. In this study we evaluated the presence of exaggerated adrenarche in a cohort of obese boys and girls and investigated whether obese children ...

Background: Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder characterised by developmental and growth abnormalities, insatiable appetite, and excessive eating (hyperphagia). Hyperphagia is thought to be driven by supraphysiological levels of the appetite stimulating hormone ghrelin; however, the underlying causes of hyperghrelinaemia in PWS are currently unknown. Recently, ghrelin-reactive autoantibodies (isotype IgG) were identified in non-genetic obesity and were f...

Background: Patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) have an increased risk for osteoporosis and fractures in adulthood. Data on bone mineralization in adolescence are limited, although it is a known at-risk period for vitamin D deficiency, low calcium intake and evolving hypogonadism.Objective and hypotheses: To study the bone mineralization in KS adolescents and its relationship with vitamin D/calcium and gonadal status. KS adolescents with low calcium ...

Background: Virilization of young children after topical androgen use by their fathers through skin contact is well-known. The long-term consequences of such exposure at very young age are not well known.Objective and hypotheses: The aim is to report the occurrence of spermarche in a young boy and central precocious puberty in a young girl as late consequences of interpersonal transfer of testosterone gel.Method: Testosterone conta...

Background: CHARGE syndrome is a variable entity. Clinical diagnosis is based on the Blake-Verloes criteria and can be confirmed by identifying a mutation in CHD7. Hypoplasia of the genitalia is a common feature and is most often attributable to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism which is described in 81% of the males and 93% of the female patients. Other genital anomalies are rare. Combined agenesis of the uterus and ovaries is so far only reported in one patient with sus...

Background and aims: The low dose short corticotropin test (LCT) is the most frequently used test to diagnose glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency (GAI) in children. Result of the LCT must be interpreted with caution since stimulated peak cortisol (PC) thresholds depend on the assay and time of sampling. We evaluated the prevalence of GAI by the LCT using both 20 and 30 minutes sampling and cortisol measurements by the most recent Roche Elecsys Cortiso...

Background: There is increasing interest in vitamin D nutrition during pregnancy because of widespread reports of a high prevalence of low vitamin D status in pregnant women in high-latitude areas. It has been related to adverse events in mother and child. Neonates present a greater risk of hypocalcaemia, rickets and a higher incidence of infections during the 1st year of life.Objective and hypotheses: Real situation of pregnant women and newborn in rela...

Background/ Aims: Hyperuricemia (HU) is a frequent finding in childhood obesity, ranging between 12 and 40%, and associates to a variable extent with different components of the metabolic syndrome (MS). In this study, the effect of gender, (a Belgian native vs a non-Belgian native) descent and degree of general and central adiposity on serum uric acid (SUA) and the prevalence of HU was investigated in a multi-ethnic population of overweight/obese children and ...

Background: Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome (PMDS) needs to be considered in boys (46, XY) presenting with bilateral cryptorchidism or unilateral cryptorchidism associated with an inguinal hernia. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) gene as well as Anti-Müllerian hormone Receptor (AMHR 2) gene mutations have been identified in PMDS boys.Aim and methods: To report a novel mutation in the AMHR 2 gene in monochorionic d...

Background: Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumors (SLCT) account only for 1% of all ovarian neoplasia, occur more commonly in the second or third decade of life and seldom secrete tumor markers. The experience in adolescence is limited.Objective and hypothesis: To report the hormonal and biological profile of a SCLT in a young adolescent. Ovarian tumor markers as well as FDG-PET scanning might be helpful in diagnosing ovarian malignancy in case of normal ultrasound...