ESPE Abstracts

Background: Children affected by cerebral palsy (CP) could experience central precocious puberty (CPP) 20 times more than general population. Nevertheless, the treatment is challenging.Objective and hypotheses: To compare CPP features and the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy (GnRHa) in children with CP and in controls.Method: The study involved 16 children with CPP and CP (median age (range) at diagnosis of...

Background: Foramen magnum stenosis (FMS) is a common, serious complication of achondroplasia in infancy. The Achondroplasia Foramen Magnum Score (AFMS; 1-4) was developed to facilitate early detection of stenosis and inform appropriate neurosurgical management. All infants have a baseline screening MRI, of which approximately half of cases demonstrate AFMS3 (craniovertebral junction (CVJ) narrowing with flattening of the cervical cord) or AFMS4 (CVJ narrowing...

Background: minipuberty (MP) consists in a postnatal activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which occurs physiologically in both sexes during the first months of life. FSH and LH peak between 1 and 3 months, stimulating sex hormones secretion. In preterm infants, MP might lead to a stronger and more protracted hormonal stimulation, even if specific literature data are limited and not univocal. Immaturity of the hypothalamic feedback has been ...

Introduction: Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) has recently been described in patients with isolated or syndromic neurodevelopmental disorders, with greater attention from the scientific community. We carried out this study to compare the main aspects of non-isolated and isolated forms of CPP.Methods: We conducted a retrospective monocentric study, collecting all treated cases of CPP from 1st January 2013 to 31 December ...

Non-autoimmune hypothyroidism is characterized by high serum TSH level, normal or low thyroid hormones, absence of autoantibodies and normal or hypoplasic in situ thyroid gland. It is known that heterozygous mutations in the TSH receptor gene (TSHR) are associated with partial TSH resistance which clinically ranges from isolated hyperthyrotropinemia to non-autoimmune hypothyroidism. Despite this, an absence of mutations in the TSHR gene has been repo...

Background: X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in PHEX gene and characterized by low phosphate levels and impaired bone mineralization. Burosumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), has emerged as a crucial therapy for XLH management, increasing serum phosphate levels and improving bone health. Recent studies indicate that inflammation may play a crucial role in the XLH complications...

Background: Vitamin D-induced hypercalcemia can result from exogenous vitamin D intoxication, excessive endogenous production or mutations in enzymes involved in vitamin D metabolism.Case Report: We describe an 8-month-old infant referred to the emergency department with history of failure to thrive and weight loss over the past two months. He was consuming type 2 formula milk supplemented with vitamin D plus vitamin D a...

Background: Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is a complex life-threatening complication that occurs in 5-15% of patients who undergo Fontan procedure to palliate a functional or anatomic single ventricle. Patients with PLE suffer from enteric protein loss, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia and electrolyte alterations. Enteral budesonide is widely recognized as the corticosteroid of choice to treat gut inflammation underlying PLE for its strong local anti-inflam...

Background: Craniopharyngioma is a non-malignant embryonic tumour in the pituitary-hypothalamic area, associated with hypothalamic obesity. Dysfunctional parasympathetic nervous system activity has been proposed as one mechanism underlying alterations in energy metabolism. Arterial spin labelling (ASL) is a non-invasive MRI technique that quantifies brain tissue perfusion as a proxy for functional activity. Here, we measure cerebral perfusion in patients with ...

Background: The need to understand the relationship between bone, muscle, and fat within the bone-muscle unit has recently gained great prominence. Although high resolution (HR) MRI is a non-invasive imaging modality that can provide this information, there is limited expertise in children and young people.Objectives: To establish MRI-based normative data for bone, bone marrow adiposity and muscle adiposity in children a...