ESPE Abstracts

Background: During treatment of adrenal insufficiency (AI) with hydrocortisone (HC), cortisol concentrations are supra-physiological following doses, and low before doses. We speculated that this cortisol profile may result in periods of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia. We describe glucose profiles in the first 18 children recruited to a study of metabolic and cardiovascular profiles in AI. Methods: Children with primar...

Synacthen tests are used widely in paediatric practice for diagnosis of AI. The standard dose test may be more specific and low dose test (LDSST), more sensitive. The LDSST requires dilution of commercially available Synacthen, which may result in unreliable dosing and over diagnosis of AI.Aim: To determine the prevalence of AI requiring treatment with hydrocortisone (a) daily (peak cortisol <350nmol/l) (b) on sick days only (peak co...

Background: Increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased subclinical atherosclerosis have been reported in children with primary adrenal insufficiency (AI), including those with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), when compared to healthy children. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) can be used as an early marker of cardiovascular risk. The severity of adverse metabolic profile has been related to the total hydrocortisone dose and duration of tr...

Background: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may be suppressed at birth. In most infants this is tolerated well. HPA testing in infancy often generates ‘abnormal’ results although abnormalities of the HPA may not be identified and cortisol measurements often ‘normalise’ over time.[1]Aim: To contribute to the evidence base on neonatal HPA activity by reporting outcomes of infants age &...

Introduction: Proton beam therapy (PBT) is being used increasingly for craniopharyngioma, as it is perceived to be a major benefit. There are some limited data relating to endocrine dysfunction following PBT, but very limited data on hypothalamic disturbance. Here we report two patients who presented with hypothalamic disruption immediately following PBT for craniopharyngioma.Case 1: A 12 year old girl presented with sei...

Introduction: Hypomethylation at the imprinting control region 2 (IC2) on chromosome 11p15.5 is the commonest identifiable cause of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS). IC2 is located in KCNQ1 intron 10 and is associated with Long QT syndrome (LQTS). A recent consensus statement on BWS1 recommends annual cardiac evaluation with electrocardiogram (ECG) in these patients. The natural history of LQTS secondary to hypomethylation at IC2 in BWS is...

Background: Carney complex (CC) is a rare, dominantly inherited condition due to mutations of the tumour suppressor gene PRKAR1A. Endocrine manifestations include: Cushing’s syndrome (CS) due to primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease, pituitary adenomas, testicular neoplasms, thyroid tumours, and ovarian cysts. The management of some of these tumours is controversial.Objective and hypotheses: To describe conservative management of CC.<...

Background: 11-oxygenated 19-carbon (11oxC19) steroids, 11ketotestosterone (11KT) and 11βhydroxyandrostenedione(11OHA4) are adrenally derived steroids that rise in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Increased 11oxC19 concentrations are associated with markers of poor control of CAH. To date, 11oxC19 concentrations have not been measured in patients with Addison’s disease (AD).Methods: Children with primary ...

Background: Between 2011 and 2015, 294 children from 15 UK centres were randomised to the SCIPI study (SubCutaneous Insulin: Pumps or Injections?), which compares insulin delivery by pump to multiple daily injections, during the first year following diagnosis of type I diabetes. HbA1c is measured every 3 months, locally by (1) a ‘point of care’ device or a local laboratory and (2) a central laboratory. Since 2009 HbA1c assays have been calibrated against the Internat...

Background: BoneXpert software calculates bone health index (BHI) from cortical thickness and mineralisation of three metacarpals, and bone age (BA) using 13 bones: Radius, ulna and bones in ray 1, 3, 5. Strong correlations between BoneXpert BHI and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed CT (pQCT) measurements are reported 1. Low bone mineral density (BMD), measured by DXA, and improvement with GH is described in childhood GH deficiency (GH...