ESPE Abstracts

Background: Following a phase of feeding difficulties and underweight in early life, children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) develop hyperphagia and a tendency towards severe obesity. Growth hormone therapy (GH) has been approved in PWS to compensate their growth failure but may exert also additional effects on muscle component and body composition as well.Objectives: We aimed to test if an early initiation of GH thera...

Background: Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a frequent complication of obesity in both adults and children and there is an alarming increase in prevalence of both. Studying of risk factors for NAFLD in children and adolescents might help to select vulnerable groups to start an early intervention.Objectives: The aim of our study was to detect the prevalence of NAFLD in pediatric obese patients (0-18.9 years, ...

Background: SGPL1 deficiency is associated with a pathological accumulation of sphingolipid intermediates and a multi-systemic condition incorporating primary adrenal insufficiency. Sphingolipid intermediates such as ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine 1-phosphate are postulated to act as modulators of the steroidogenic pathway, often acting as second messengers altering downstream expression of steroid responsive transcriptional elements. Ceramide and sphin...

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare condition (estimated incidence 1:4–8 million), caused by mutations in LMNA gene, which leads to premature aging. Median life expectancy is shortened to 13 years due to vascular complications such as stroke or myocardial infarction. We present below the history of a child born with a pathogenic LMNA variant c.433G>A (p.Glu145Lys). A male patient was referred due to failure to thrive and low growth velocit...

Background: Steroid hormones produced by the human fetal adrenals (HFA) are suggested to regulate intrauterine homeostasis and the maturation of certain fetal organs necessary for extrauterine life. Appropriate development and hormonal function of the HFA therefore are critical for normal fetal maturation and survival. Little is known about the possible relationship between the expression of steroidogenic enzymes and corresponding transcription factors in the HFA in vivo</...

Background: Donohue syndrome (DS) is the most severe form of insulin-resistance due to autosomal recessive mutations in the insulin receptor gene. Previous reports demonstrate a role for recombinant human IGF1 (rhIGF1), however optimal treatment strategy remains unclear.Case series: Four males with DS have been treated with bolus rhIGF1 (see table below). They had no IGF1 response on an IGF1 generation test. No long-term side effects of rhIGF1 were repor...

Introduction: The use of long-term oral corticosteroid in DMD is associated with a range of side effects including secondary adrenal insufficiency. The updated international care consensus (2018) recognizes this important issue and recommends emergency plans to be in place.Aim: This online UK-wide patient survey aims to determine the advice and education given for sick day dosing plans and the impact of the COVID-19 pand...

McCune Albright Syndrome (MAS, OMIM # 174800) is a rare congenital sporadic disorder with an estimated prevalence ranging from 1 in 1,00,000 to 1 in 100,000. MAS is caused by a post-zygotic somatic activating mutation of the GNAS1 gene resulting in an increased GSα protein signaling leading to hyperfunction of glycoprotein hormone receptors, autonomous cell proliferation, and hormonal hypersecretion. The mosaic constitutive activation of this signal transducer is clinical...

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. A more complex immunological picture is being unraveled, with a key role of innate immune cells at disease onset and maintenance. For new therapies based on immune-modulation to be possible, immune characterization of T1D patients is crucial.Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to characterise innate and adaptive immune cells of T1D children at a well-defined ‘onset-window&#146...

Background: Osteoporosis is a complex disorder, influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. Primary osteoporosis is a rare early onset disorder with high morbidity and mortality. Wnt signaling pathway has been shown to be involved in the regulation of bone remodeling.Case: Native Argentinean boy born from a consanguineous family with history of retinal detachment in the maternal line. Delivered at term, birth weight 2900 g (−0.95 SDS), bi...