ESPE Abstracts

Background: Patients born small for gestational age (SGA) with additional syndromic features to short stature are likely to present with genetic causes.Aim: To perform a clinical and genetic-molecular investigation of a group of syndromic SGA patients without catch-up growth.Methods: We selected 118 patients born SGA [birth weight and/or length standard deviation score (SDS) ≤−2 for gestational age] without catch-up gro...

Introduction: Mutations in the GH1 promoter are a rare cause of isolated GH deficiency (IGHD). In order to find the molecular cause of short stature due to IGHD, three siblings (2 M) born to consanguineous parents without mutations in the GHRHR and GH1 coding regions were screened for mutations in the GH1 promoter and locus control region. All patients harbored two variants (c.−123T>C and −161C>T) in homozygous state in the GH1 promoter, not found in 100 co...

Background: Primary ovarian failure (POF) is a major cause of female infertility. POF is characterized by amenorrhea, hypo-estrogenism, and elevated gonadotrophin levels. In POF disorder, several genetic alterations have been described, however in most of the patients the etiology of this disorder remains unknown.Objective and hypotheses: To identify new genes implicated in the development of POF using whole-exome sequencing (WES)....

Introduction: Age at pubertal onset is a markedly inherited trait. The most common cause of pubertal delay, self-limited pubertal delay, is defined by the absence of secondary sexual characteristics after 13 years in girls and 14 years in boys, with progression before age 18. This study aimed to detect novel candidate genes for self-limited pubertal delay.Methods: Eighty-one patients with confirmed self-limited delayed p...

Background: It has already been documented that selenium treatment has beneficial effects in adult patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, especially in those with a higher titer of antibodies and increased inflammatory disease activity.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate whether daily supplementation of organic selenium at a high dose (200 μg in the form of L-selenomethionine) has any effect on the titer of thyroid autoantibodies.<p class="a...

Introduction: Nelson’s syndrome is a potentially severe complication of bilateral adrenalectomy, a radical procedure performed in the treatment of hypercortisolism in Cushing’s disease (CD). We report a case of CD in pediatric age submitted to bilateral adrenalectomy with subsequent Nelson’s syndrome.Case report: Male, 5-year-old, referred to a Pediatric outpatient clinic because of growth failure, rapid weight gain and high blood pressure...

Objective: To determine the prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in children with dry bloodspot TSH (b-TSH) between 5 and 10 mIU/l in neonatal screening and evaluate their thyroid function evolution.Methods: Retrospective study of thyroid function in children born from 2003 to 2010 with b-TSH between 5 and 10 mIU/l who were put on treatment in the first two years of life due to serum TSH≥10 mIU/l. The prevalence of CH ...

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) is a complex molecule involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. FGF-21 shares biochemical pathways and sites of action with thyroid hormones. Current data correlate FGF-21 levels to thyroid function. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible associations among FGF-21 levels, resting metabolic rate (RMR), lipidemic profile and L-thyroxin replacement therapy treatment in children and adolescents wit...

Background: Carotenoids are potent antioxidants that affect many different metabolic processes. In plasma, carotenoids are transported with lipoproteins. Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is known to induce oxidative stress and deterioration in the lipid profile, which can change the level and composition of carotenoids. Particularly interesting to measure these parameters in GHD children.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of this study is to examine the am...

Objective: Most children with short stature remain without an etiologic diagnosis after extensive clinical and laboratory evaluation and are classified as idiopathic short stature (ISS). This study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of a multigene gene analysis in children classified as ISS.Design and Methods: We selected 102 children with ISS and performed the genetic analysis as part of the initial investigation. ...