ESPE Abstracts

Background: Gender dysphoria is characterised by an incongruency between the perceived gender identity and the biological sex. The cause of gender dysphoria is unclear and environmental as well as genetic factors may be important. It is well known that during sexual differentiation sex steroids control not only the differentiation of the internal and external genitalia but also the sexual differentiation of the brain. Structural as well as functional differences have been show...

Background: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is characterised by progressive muscle weakness, resulting from loss of anterior horn cells in the spinal cord and the brain stem nuclei. Survival motor neuron levels (SMN) are reduced due to mutations in the SMN1 gene. SMN function has been implicated in poor bone health. SMA is classified according to age of onset and clinical course accordingly: type 0 (prenatal), type 1 (onset <6 months, severe, never sit unsupported), type 2 (...

Background: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type I (MEN1) is characterized by the combined occurrence of tumours in several endocrine tissues such as parathyroid tumours, pituitary tumours (usually prolactinomas) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. MEN1 is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by germline mutations in the tumour suppressor gene MEN1. First-degree relatives of a germline MEN1 mutation carrier have a 50% risk of the mutation. Intensive surveillance of g...

Background: H2O2 produced in large quantities in the thyroid may play a role in the pathogenesis of thyroid nodules and cancer. In vitro, moderate amounts of H2O2 are able to cause similar DNA damage compared to irradiation and even to induce RET/PTC rearrangements.Objective and hypotheses: We compared the defence mechanisms against H2O2 and irradiation in human thyrocytes, T-cell...

Background: H2O2 produced in large quantities in the thyroid may play a role in the pathogenesis of thyroid nodules and cancer. In vitro, moderate amounts of H2O2 are able to cause similar DNA damage compared to irradiation and even to induce RET/PTC rearrangements.Objective and hypotheses: We compared the defence mechanisms against H2O2 and irradiation in human thyrocytes, T-cell...

Background: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma has an incidence of 15.2 per 100 000 in adolescents. The clinical challenge is identifying nodules requiring further intervention. Current modalities, in isolation, have poor ability to reliably differentiate benign from malignant nodules.Objective and hypotheses: To derive and validate a predictive score that integrates clinical, laboratory, radiological and cytopathological parameters to define malignancy ri...

Objectives: GH deficiency (GHD) and small for gestational age (SGA) status are associated with cardiovascular risks. We therefore investigated antiatherogenic effects of GH.Methods: Subfractions of LDL and HDL, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured at baseline, after 8 and 52 weeks of GH treatment in 51 short children born SGA (n=33) or with GHD (n=18).<p cla...

Background: Pseudohypoaldosteronism type I (PHA1) is a rare disease of mineralocorticoid resistance (MR). Neonatal manifestation leads to life-threatening dehydration due to massive salt-loss, acidosis and frequently, failure to thrive. Two clinically and genetically distinct forms exist, namely systemic and renal PHA1 caused by mutations in the subunit genes (SCNN1A, SCNN1B, SCNN1G) of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and mineralocorticoid recep...

Introduction: Exposure to chronic stress and hypercortisolism is associated with decreased leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a marker for accelerated biological aging and cardiovascular disease. Children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are treated with glucocorticoids. The aim of our study was to investigate LTL in children with CAH and its relation with CAH subtype, daily glucocorticoid dose and treatment quality.Method...

Background: >There is a wide variation in the reported rate of acute adrenal insufficiency (AI) related adverse events (sick day episodes and adrenal crises) between centres.Objective: Evaluate the level of consensus on the criteria that should be considered ‘essential’ for defining and managing adverse events associated with acute AI in children.Methods: Three groups of ...