ESPE Abstracts

Background: Bilateral testicular regression (BTR) is characterized by the absence of both testicles in a newborn male or shortly thereafter, and presenting as bilateral cryptorchidism with undetectable AMH levels and the absence of Müllerian structures on pelvic ultrasound. Depending on when the regression occurs during fetal development, the condition can be associated with a micropenis. Few studies have explored the etiology and long-term outcome of BTR...

Background: Preserving spermatogonial stem cell (SSCs) in Klinefelter syndrome (KS) adolescents by testicular tissue banking to safeguard their fertility potential is under debate. While diagnosis of KS is frequently made in late adolescence or young adulthood, when testicular fibrosis is already present, this strategy may be an option when associated with in vitro culture and maturation of SSC.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the attitude ...

Background: The ‘External Masculinization Score’ (EMS) is an objective method of scoring undervirilized genitalia in infants but may require further adaptation to capture the appearance of the genitalia more comprehensively across the phenotypic spectrum.Objective: To develop and validate a non-binary, standardized score that describes the range of appearance of external genitalia.Method: The external genitalia score (EGS...

Background: Long-term outcome studies on bilateral testicular regression (BTR) are currently lacking, hampering counseling of patients and parents. Although a vascular origin was initially reported, recent studies revealed a genetic origin in a subset of patients (i.e. DHX37 gene variants). How this relates to patient outcomes remains unclear.Methods: Thirty-five patients with BTR were recruited in eight Belgian centers ...

Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a rare overgrowth disorder characterised by macroglossia, exomphalos, lateralised overgrowth, organomegaly, hyperinsulinism, and an increased risk of embryonic tumor during early life. In about 80% of BWS cases, molecular defects are identified at the imprinted 11p15.5 region which contains the IGF2 and the CDKN1C genes (most patients show methylation defects at either imprinting control region IC1 or IC2, or paternal unip...

Background: Severe primary insulin-like growth factor-1 deficiency (SPIGFD) is a rare condition for which replacement therapy with recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1 (rhIGF 1; mecasermin [Increlex®]) is approved for treatment in Europe and the USA. SPIGFD is defined as a height standard deviation score (HtSDS) ≤-3, and baseline IGF-1 <2.5th percentile (European indication) or ≤-3 SDS (USA indication) for age and gender, desp...

Background/Aim: Currently, the minimum of the GH peak (pGH) to GH provocative stimuli, including the glucagon stimulation test (GST), has been arbitrary set in children at 7 µg/L, irrespective of gender and age. Several doses (fixed or per bodyweight) and ways of administration (IM or SC) of glucagon are being used in daily practice. This retrospective study explores the influence of gender, age, and adiposity on the pGH after a maximally effective glucag...

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: 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: An accurate prediction of final height after the first year of growth hormone (GH) treatment may help clinicians to give parents and children more realistic expectations.Objective and hypotheses: To validate two prediction models (with and without max. GH peak) for near final adult height (nFAH) by Ranke et al.Method: Height data of 142 (93 male) idiopathic GH deficient (iGHD) children, treated with GH for at l...