ESPE Abstracts

Objective: To describe clinical, laboratory and genetic characteristics of 42 short children from 34 consanguineous Turkish families.Design: Descriptive case series.Methods: After collecting clinical information, DNA samples were analysed in three European laboratories. In 18 children (12 families) suspected of a genetic defect in the growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor ...

Introduction: Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia (PPRD) is a rare genetic bone disorder characterised by the progressive degeneration of articular cartilage leading to pain, stiffness, joint enlargement and short stature. PPRD occurs due to a mutation in cellular communication network factor 6 (CCN6)/Wnt1-inducible signalling protein 3 (WISP3) gene, encoding a 354 amino acid signalling factor involved in BMP/WNT signalling and mitochondri...

Introduction: Ghrelin binds to its receptor GHSR1A, encoded by GHSR, on somatotrophs of the pituitary. Growth hormone (GH) secretion is enhanced by ghrelin binding as well as the receptor’s constitutive activity. Results from in vitro experiments, knock-out mice, and GWAS suggest that heterozygous loss-of-function of GHSR may be associated with short stature, but observations in case studies are equivocal. We aimed to better ch...

Introduction: Among children with short stature, some show persistent IGF-I levels <-2.0 SDS despite a normal growth hormone (GH) response in a stimulation test. This may be caused by conditions that could benefit from recombinant human GH (rhGH) therapy (e.g. GH neurosecretory dysfunction, bioinactive GH, partial GH insensitivity). Therefore, the IGF-I generation test (IGFIGT) was implemented in 2006 using a national, standardized protocol. Children with a...

Background: Silver Russell syndrome (SRS) is a heterogeneous disorder characterised by intrauterine and post-natal growth retardation, relative macrocephaly, protruding forehead, feeding difficulties and body asymmetry. Variants in HMGA2 are a rare cause of SRS and despite strong evidence for the crucial role of HMGA2 in growth regulation, its functional role in human linear growth is unclear.Methods: Patients w...

Background: Treatment of children with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a difficult balance between hypercortisolism and hyperandrogenism. Biochemical monitoring of treatment is not well defined.Objective: Retrospective software-assisted analysis of urinary steroid metabolome analysis obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for treatment monitoring of children with CAH.<p class="abstex...

Background: Autoimmune primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a rare and life-threatening disease. Standard replacement therapy consists of multiple daily doses of hydrocortisone combined with fludrocortisone. A recent Endocrine Society guideline argued against hormonal monitoring of glucocorticoid replacement. However, about 50% of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic diseases are non-adherent to their prescribed treatment regimens. Pervasive nonadherence places p...

Background: Skeletal dysplasias comprise heterogeneous disorders often characterised by short stature with abnormalities of one or more of epiphysis, metaphysis or diaphysis. Over 200 types of skeletal dysplasias are identified, most of which are autosomal dominantly inherited. Actually, surgery has attempted to correct bone deformities but drug therapy for improving their severe short stature has been rarely attempted.Objective and hypotheses: Administr...

The homeostatic control of energy balance is tightly regulated. Appetite and energy expenditure regulation involves neurons in the hypothalamus as well as other brain regions, including the limbic system, amygdala and the brainstem. Hypothalamic obesity is a well-recognized consequence of lesions such as craniopharyngiomas and other tumors in the hypothalamic region. Less known is obesity related to tumors in other brain regions. The child presented at 14 years of age with fai...

Background: GH deficiency (GHD) occurs in one in 4000–one in 10 000 children, but can also be diagnosed in adults.1 GHD therapy typically requires injections over a period of years.2 Adherence to long-term GHT presents a challenge.Objective and hypotheses: This study describes the rates of adherence to GHT among patients with GHD.Method: Members who were continuously enrolled 6 months pre- and 12 months p...