ESPE Abstracts

Background: Genetic variants are identified in a small proportion (~10%) of patients with Congenital Hypopituitarism (CH), with variable associated phenotypes. We aimed to phenotypically characterise a large cohort of patients with genetically proven CH.Patients and methods: 1684 CH patients were screened (Sanger or whole exome sequencing) over a 20-year period (1998-2018) for mutations in genes regulating pitui...

Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is also known as autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED). Clinical manifestations are widely variable. It is an autoimmune disease which is characterized by the triad hypoparathyroidism, Addison disease, and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. However, several other autoimmune disorders, not necessarily endocrinological, differing in number and severity, may be present. APS1 is mostly caused by mut...

A female second born of unrelated parents, at fourth pregnancy, born by vaginal delivery at 39 weeks of gestational age, weight 3145 g (-0.45 SDS), length 50 cm (0.12 SDS), head circumference 33 cm (-0.82 SDS), presented with DSD. The mother affected by hypothyroidism and autoimmune hepatitis, during the whole pregnancy was treated with levothyroxine and prednisone at the dose of 5 mg/day. At birth mild ambiguous genitalia (Prader stages I-II) were noticed and the baby was adm...

Aim: To identify the distinctive features of GH Deficiency (GHD) and to assess the response to GH treatment (rhGH) in children with Septo-Optic-dysplasia (SOD) and Multiple Pituitary Hormone Deficiencies (MPHD).Methods: Retrospective longitudinal single centre study of children with SOD (n:171) and MPHD (n:53). GHD was diagnosed in patients with growth failure by an insufficient GH response (≤6.7 μg/l) to provocation (Insulin Induced Hypoglyca...

Background: Hyperthyroidism is rare in childhood and adolescence and Graves’ disease accounts for approximately 96% of pediatric cases of thyrotoxicosis.Case Report: A 12-year-old girl, with no relevant family or personal history, was examinated for a thyroid mass noticed a few days before. She also reported excessive sweating of the hands and mild psychomotor agitation. Clinical examination revealed, in addition to the right thyroid mass, other sig...

Background: Children with septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) and related disorders can present with either hypogonadotropic hypogonadism or precocious puberty. This phenotypic variability remains unexplained.Objective and hypotheses: To compare pubertal characteristics of SOD with isolated congenital hypopituitarism (CPHD) and optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH).Method: Retrospective longitudinal data collection from 259 patients with: SOD (...

Background: It is often difficult to establish whether hyperthyrotropinemia in preterm newborn is a simple physiologic energy sparing phenomenon or a true hypothyroidism requiring replacement treatment.Objective and hypotheses: This study aimed to find in what extent thyroid function in the preterm newborn can be influenced by clinical characteristics and complications.Method: We studied 35 preterm newborn, gestational age (GA) 32....

Introduction: Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is characterized by a combination of midline forebrain, pituitary and eye abnormalities. We aimed to evaluate endocrine features of patients with SOD, and multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD).Design: Retrospective data were collected from 130 patients: 102 SOD and 28 MPHD followed at a single tertiary centre. SOD were divided into two groups: with pituitary hormone deficiencies (SOD+, n=83) and...

Background: Cushing’s disease, due to ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas, is rare in the pediatric age (0.2–0.5/ million people per year), although accounts for 75–80% of Cushing syndrome in childhood compared to 49–71% in adulthood. We report clinical presentation, diagnostic workup and treatment of a new case with major therapeutics problems.Case report: A 15-year-old girl was referred to our clinic because of secondary amenorrhea, a...

Background: The introduction of second generation antipsychotic (SGA) drugs for the treatment of bipolar disorders has been associated with metabolic adverse reactions. Many studies cite significant weight gain as a common side effect, which is often attributed to dysfunction of glucose homeostasis and the development of dyslipidaemia. This in turn may trigger the early pathogenesis observed for example in type-2-diabetes. Factors controlling energy metabolism are largely cons...