ESPE Abstracts

Background: Mutations in the gene encoding the Chromodomain Helicase DNA-binding protein 7 (CHD7) are found in 60% of patients with CHARGE Syndrome (Coloboma, Heart Defects, Choanal Atresia, Retarded growth and development, Genital hypoplasia, Ear abnormalities and/or hearing problems) and in 6% of patients with Kallmann syndrome.Objectives and hypotheses: To describe a novel CHD7 mutation and its clinical presentation.<p class="abs...

Background: Since the initiation of neonatal screening programs for Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) in the 1970’s, a gradual decrease of TSH cut-off limits has been observed worldwide. Nevertheless, lack of universal consensus has led to wide variation of cut-off limits and LT4 therapy criteria among screening programs, even within the same country. The Greek neonatal CH screening program is carried out by a single laboratory that uses one of the lowest cut-off limits worl...

Background: The term Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) describes children with subnormal thyroid hormone levels present at birth. According to literature, CH has an incidence of ~1:1500–1:3000 births with a clear predominance of females (female:male ratio 2:1) and is mainly caused by thyroid dysgenesis (80%). Low FT4 levels have been used as important criteria for CH diagnosis and treatment initiation. The Greek neonatal CH screening program has followed the TSH cut-off lowe...

Background: Molecular defects are rarely detected in Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) patients.Objective and Hypotheses: We hypothesized that the frequency of causative molecular defects could be higher in cases with early onset of POI. Moreover, the analysis of multiple genes in the same POI group could disclose co-existence of more than one molecular aberration.Method: In 25 subjects, aged 17.1±7 years at POI onset, bid...

Background: Children born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) have a birth weight below 2,500 g at a gestational age over 37 weeks or a birth weight or length below the 3-rd percentile for gestational age. They usually recover growth during the first 6–12 months of life, but if not so, it is unlikely the recovery to happen after the age of two unless GH replacement therapy is initiated.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the 1-st year growt...

Background: Acquired hypothalamic damage frequently causes obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), often refractory to treatment. The interaction of hormonal, neuronal and psychological factors underlying hypothalamic obesity (HO) remains poorly understood.Methods: In fasted and fed states participants underwent blood sampling (GLP-1, insulin, PYY, ghrelin and glucose), fMRI scanning (viewing food/non-food photographs) and assessment of hunger and sati...

Background: In vitro fertilisation (IVF) has been widely used during the last decades. Increased susceptibility to birth defects and a higher cardiometabolic risk in children born after IVF than naturally conceived (NC) children have been reported. Also, a higher incidence of hyperthyrotropinemia has been noted in children born after IVF with respect to NC children and has been attributed to an epigenetic modification of the TSH set-point.Object...

Background: Little data exist regarding the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and the interplay between the HPA axis and markers of pro- and anti-oxidation in children, following an acute aerobic exercise bout in children.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the changes of HPA axis hormones following an acute bout of aerobic exercise and their respective association with markers of pro- and anti- oxidation in normal weight and obes...

Background: ICSI is an assisted reproduction technique (ART) mainly used to overcome male infertility. Nowadays, ICSI is employed frequently due to its high success rate, despite it being highly invasive (i.e. epigenetic risk). Recent studies in ART offspring show a higher incidence of cardio-metabolic risk than in naturally-conceived (NC) controls. Thus, in our prior untargeted metabolomic study between ICSI and NC prepubertal girls, we demonstrated insulin resistance in the ...

Introduction: Thyroid hormone resistance (THR) is a rare disease (&ap; 1/50000) mainly due to thyroid hormone receptor beta gene (THRB) mutations, generally identified in late childhood and adulthood. We report 2 atypical cases of neonatal diagnosis of THR.Case 1: The newborn presented with neonatal respiratory distress due to a voluminous compressive goiter, requiring invasive ventilation. Thyroid function test...