ESPE Abstracts

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP) is often familial but its genetic cause is largely unknown. Very recently, the makorin RING finger protein 3 (MKRN3) gene has been found mutated for the first time in 5 families with familial precocious puberty. The inheritance pattern is particular being the MKRN3 a maternal imprinted gene. Moreover in a recent genome wide association study common intronic or intragenic variants harbouring this gene and other two imprinted genes, D...

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: Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD; MIM 119600) is a rare congenital autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia characterized by hypoplastic or aplastic clavicles, late closure of the fontanelles, open skull sutures, dental anomalies, moderately short stature and a variety of other skeletal features. CCD is caused by mutations, deletions or duplications in the runt-related transcription factor 2 gene (RUNX2), which encodes for a protein essential for osteoblast differentiatio...

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder resulting from lack of expression of the paternally derived chromosome 15q11–13, associated with several complications, including pubertal disorders, short stature, hyperphagia, obesity, glucose metabolism abnormalities, scoliosis, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and behavioral problems. We report the case of a girl affected by PWS who presented at the age of 5.9 with premature pubarche, accelerated lin...

Background: The phenotype of SHOX aploinsufficiency is highly variable also in affected members of the same family with broad differences in severity of short stature, disproportion, presence of Madelung deformity.Case presentation: We present a family with a new mutation of SHOX gene. A 2.3 years old girl, born at term from unrelated parents, came to our observation for short stature. Her height was −2.02 SDS, arm span was normal, sitting heigh/he...

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age, and is characterised by chronic inflammation and in most cases by insulin resistance besides ovulatory dysfunction and hyperandrogenism. HMGB1 is a small protein with cytokine activity that can activate nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (Nf-kB), and signals through the Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs) and through the T...

Intact steroid hormone biosynthesis is essential for growth and development of the human fetus and embryo. In the present study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed to characterize the steroidal milieu in amniotic fluid (n=65; male: female = 35: 30) of mid-gestation (median: 18.8th week, range: 16.0th – 24.6th week) by a comprehensive targeted steroid hormone metabolomics approach. The levels of 52 steroids i...

Backround: Menstrual disorders are common among the adolescent girls. We examined the initial investigations performed in adolescents, presenting with frequent, heavy or painful periods. Although, usually abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in adolescent women is attributable to immaturity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, underlying conditions such as coagulation disorders and anemia should always kept in mind. However, neither the laboratory nor the ultrasound investig...

Background: Genital surgery in disorders of sex development (DSD) has been an area of debate over the past 20 years. One can question and even defy the routine practice to surgically align genitalia to the sex of rearing, as early as possible. However, despite multitude of data showing detrimental effects to genital sensation and sexuality, few patients born with ambiguous genitalia have remained unoperated into adolescence.Objective and hypotheses: To a...

Background: GH deficiency (GHD) occurs in one in 4000–one in 10 000 children, but can also be diagnosed in adults.1 GHD therapy typically requires injections over a period of years.2 Adherence to long-term GHT presents a challenge.Objective and hypotheses: This study describes the rates of adherence to GHT among patients with GHD.Method: Members who were continuously enrolled 6 months pre- and 12 months p...