ESPE Abstracts

Background: Emotional and behavioural problems are often used in support of GnRH agonists therapy in girls with early pubertal timing. However, there is little evidence to show that CPP leads to psychological distress and whether treatment is associated with improved psychological outcome.Objective and hypotheses: The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the psychosocial impact of ICPP in recently diagnosed girls.Meth...

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP) results from premature activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and increasing evidence suggests a genetic origin. Premature activation of the GnRH secretion in CPP may arise either from gain-of-function mutations of the KISS1 and KISS1R genes or loss-of-function manner mutations of the MKRN3 gene leading to MKRN3 deficiency.Objective and hypotheses: To identify loss-of-...

Background: Rathke cleft cysts are benign, epithelium-lined intrasellar and/or suprasellar cysts believed to originate from remnants of the Rathke pouch. Although its prevalence in adults is rather high, Rathke cleft cysts are rare in children. Often they are asymptomatic findings, however depending on their size and localization they can present with a wide spectrum of symptoms.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to analyse the symptoms a...

Background: Hypothalamic obesity (HyOb) is a disease characterized by weight gain resistant to lifestyle changes and dietary restriction. The main clinical findings are hyperfagia and decline of satiety, high levels of insulin and an increase of adipogenesis. The major problem for these patients is that conventional treatments, either medical or surgical are not succesful and have variable results.Objective and hypotheses: We aim to describe the natural ...

Background: Two LIM homeodomain transcription factors, Lhx3 and Lhx4, are critical in the development of the nervous system and pituitary gland in mice. Lhx4 null mice die shortly after birth and have abnormal pituitary gland development. Recently, the first human homozygous LHX4 mutation was described, resulting in congenital hypopituitarism and neonatal death. Heterozygous LHX4 variants have been described and are linked to hypopituitarism but have...

Background: Interstitial deletions of the short arm of chromosome 11 are rare chromosomal anomalies, and are considered to be associated with several clinical conditions including WAGR syndrome.Objective: To report the clinical and molecular findings in the first case of a heterozygous 11p14.1-p15.3 deletion.Patient: A Japanese female patient was born at 39 weeks of gestation after an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery. At birth,...

Background: Short stature occurs in Trisomy 21 but it is relatively slight during childhood. Turner syndrome would contribute significantly to short stature but the combined occurrence of both syndromes, even Turner mosaicism is unusual and could result in significant short stature.Case: SP was referred for a growth assessment at 2.5 years. Her parents were counselled about short stature occurring in both syndromes but were worried that her height was si...

Background: Neonatal hyperthyroidism is a rare condition seen in infants born to mothers with Graves disease, with transplacental transfer of TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb) to the baby. Some patients have been shown to swing from hypothyroidism to hyperthyroidism as TSH receptor blocking and stimulating antibodies may coexist.Objective and hypotheses: To describe a rare clinical event of a neonate with severe Graves hyperthyroidism, born to a mother with...

Resistance to thyroid hormone mediated by defective TRβ (RTHβ) or TRα(RTHα).Separate genes (THRA, THRB) undergo alternate splicing, generating nuclear receptors (TRα1, TRβ1, TRβ2) with distinct tissue distributions, which mediate thyroid hormone action; the function of a non-hormone binding protein (α 2), derived from the THRA locus, is unknown.RTHβ a dominantl...

Background: FSH stimulates ovarian follicle maturation and estradiol synthesis which is responsible for breast development. Age at pubertal onset varies substantially among healthy girls. Although more than half of the variation is heritable, only a small part has been attributed to specific genetic polymorphisms identified so far.Objective and Hypotheses: We assessed the effect on pubertal onset of three genetic polymorphisms affecting FSH action.<p...