ESPE Abstracts

Background: Suboptimal glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes, measured by HbA1c, increases the risk for long-term complications.Aims and objectives: To calculate and compare glycaemic control in children with Type 1 Diabetes in Malta in 2013 and 2014. To identify any need to change the way services are structured and delivered.Methods: Almost all diabetic children less than 16 years of age in Malta fall under the same paediatric dia...

Background: The Scottish Paediatric Endocrine Managed Clinical Network is committed to providing equity of care and education across Scotland. A key role is the education of health care professionals and how this is delivered. An extensive survey using a Learning Needs Analysis Tool was completed to ascertain learning needs and their delivery across Scotland. This highlighted the desire to have online learning available to health professionals.Objective:...

Background: Hypernatraemia in a neonate can be common, and is usually due to high rates of insensible water loss and high urine output and subsequent dehydration. This is commonly resolved with supplementation of feeds.Case presentation: We present a preterm baby born at 35 weeks gestation who was born in good condition, did not require ventilation or intensive care support. The only support required was for feeding and thermoregulation. In the second we...

Background: In a paediatric setting polydipsia can be a commonly reported symptom which is usually innocent and habitual in nature. Diabetes Insipidus is a rare cause of pathological polydipsia. A high index of suspicion must be used in patients who exhibit other symptoms alongside polydipsia and investigations considered.Case presentation: We present three patients who have presented to a district general hospital within a short period of time with subs...

Introduction: The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide, and the management remains a challenge. The mainstay of management is lifestyle modification but if this is not successful, pharmacological agents are considered although the options in children and young people are quite limited. Metformin has been used as an adjunct therapy alongside lifestyle modification in children and young people with obesity. Some studies have shown it to be eff...

Introduction: Empirical research studies suggest that continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) are safe and could optimize neonatal hypoglycaemia management. However, they need to be tested within resource-limited, time-constrained clinical practice. CGMS was piloted in our Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in June 2017. Five key barriers to its effective implementation were identified: i) Lack of NICU staff confidence in device usage ii) Infant discomfort during...

Background: GH treatment has been used for the last 30 years for children with short stature with varying individual responses.Objective: Analysis of final height SDS (standard deviation score) and the factors influencing it in children treated with growth hormone.Material and methods: Subjects across Wales who received GH treatment, part supervised by tertiary center staff and reached final height while on treatment, were identifi...

Introduction: The BSPED Peer review programme was developed to provide a regular cycle of independent impartial professional assessment, against agreed quality standards for Specialised Paediatric Endocrine Services (SPES) in the UK.1 The aim is to continuously promote best quality of care for children and young people with endocrine disorders requiring National Health Service treatment at a SPES. We present here an evaluation of the process during this first revie...

Background: Thyroid disorders in the neonatal period can have serious consequences for growth and development. Neonatal bloodspot screening identifies congenital hypothyroidism. Current guidelines both internationally and in tertiary centres in Ireland have moved towards checking thyroid function tests (TFTs) solely in infants of mothers with hyperthyroidism and those identified on neonatal bloodspot screening. The practice in OLOLH, Ireland was that all infants of mothers wit...

Background: In children with Prader–Willi Syndrome (PWS), hypothalamic dysfunction plays a key role in the development of aberrant energy regulation, sleep-related breathing disorders, hypogonadism and impaired linear growth. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis may contribute to the high incidence of sudden death. The prevalence and the extent of the dysfunction of HPA axis remain unclear.Method: Thirty-one (10M/21...