ESPE Abstracts

Background: Congenital hypopituitarism (CH), involving deficiencies in one or more anterior pituitary hormones, is rarely observed in combination with severe joint contractures, termed arthrogryposis. Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SHFYNG), which has phenotypic overlap with Prader-Willi syndrome, may be associated with arthrogryposis. L1 syndrome, a group of X-linked disorders including hydrocephalus and spasticity of the lower limbs, may also present with generalized contractures in r...

Objective: To evaluate the impact of gestational age and birthweight on dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA and DHEA-S) in children born very preterm (VPT) appropriate for gestational age (GA) compared to children born at term (T).Methods: We recorded anthropometric parameters in 72 VPT (<32 GA) and 41 T (≥ 38 GA) aged 5.0–8.5 years. Birthweight standard deviation scores (BW-SDS) were calculated using INTERGROWT...

Background: The C3 epimer of 25-hydroxi-vitamin D3 (Epi25OHD3) is present in the pediatric and adult population and varies according to age. If it measurement is clinically relevant and should be considered to classify Vitamin D status is still unknown.Objective: To measure 25OHD3, 25-hydroxy-Vitamin D2 (25OHD2) and Epi25OHD3 and to compare them with PTH and calcemia.Method: Subjects: Children between 5 and 8 years of age born very...

Background: Very preterm neonates are at risk for metabolic syndrome later in life. Our objective was to compare anthropometric measures and insulin resistance variables between children who were born very preterm (VPT, <32 gestational weeks) and term (T, >37 gestational weeks), and adequate for gestational age (AGA).Methods: In this cross-sectional cohort study we recruited 113 children 5.0 to 8.5 years old from the preterm clinic of our institu...

Background: Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) have familial aggregation and frequently share a common genetic background, but few studies have evaluated autoimmune clusters in children with AIDs and their families.Objective and hypotheses: To identify clusters of AIDs in children and their first-degree relatives.Method: A cross-sectional study was performed in subjects with an AID of pediatric onset (<18 years) recruited at Pediatric ...

Introduction: Higher evening cortisol level has been previously described in very preterm infants, possibly reflecting increased Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA) tone or alterations in HPA regulation throughout the day. These relatively subtle differences in HPA axis function in preterm compared to full-term children may become meaningful in terms of metabolic risk later in life if sustained over time. Still, only a few studies have investigated wheth...

Maternal nutrition can have significant long-term consequences on energy homeostasis in the offspring. However, whether resveratrol, with antioxidant and anti-obesity actions, can improve the impact of poor maternal nutrition on offspring metabolism remains largely unknown. We hypothesized that resveratrol intake by dams would protect the offspring against the harmful effects of a maternal high fat diet (HFD). We also determined if resveratrol’s effects are diet and sex d...

Introduction: Obesity is known to associate with chronic systemic inflammation. However, hypothalamic inflammation also occurs in response to high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and is proposed to participate in central insulin/leptin resistance and the perpetuation of weight gain and systemic affectation. The weight gain and central responses to HFD differ between males and females. As hypothalamic glial cells are implicated in the central inflammatory response we hypothesize...

Background: Prolonged poor dietary habits can result in hypothalamic inflammation and gliosis with more recent studies suggest that other brain areas may also be affected. Western or high fat diet intake has been associated with increased cognitive impairment and aberrant feeding behavior, with males and females being differentially affected. The hippocampus participates in both of these functions. Saturated free fatty acids can induce astrocyte inflammation and this could pot...

Background: Recent studies in multiple models of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have demonstrated the role of mitochondrial abnormalities in the pathogenesis of this disease and its complications. Humanin is a potent cyto-protective and ‘metaboloprotective’ molecule in vitro and in vivo, including the protection of β cells from apoptosis, improvements in insulin secretion and action, and both prevention and treatment of diabetes in the NOD mou...