ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Short stature is frequently associated to neurofibromatosis (NF). In these patients this condition is often caused by growth hormone (GH) deficiency. We describe four boys affected by NF type 1 and GH deficiency treated with GH replacement therapy.Case report: GH deficiency was diagnosed in four patients with NF type 1, who were referred to our Pediatric Endocrinology Unit for short stature. Patient 1 started GH replacement therapy at the C...

Introduction: Kabuki syndrome (KS) is a rare genetic disorder (1 in 32,000 newborns) caused by mutations in the KMT2D gene (autosomal dominant pattern) or the KDM6A gene (X-linked dominant inheritance). KS is characterized by distinctive facial features including arched eyebrows, long eyelashes, long palpebral fissures with everted lower lids at the outside edges, flat, broadened tip of the nose and large protruding earlobes. The name of this disorder comes from the resemblanc...

Introduction: The oto-spondylo-megaepiphyseal dysplasia (OSMED) is a rare condition with autosomal recessive inheritance caused by congenital defect in the formation of cartilage collagen. OSMED is caused by mutations in the COL11A2 gene, which encodes the alpha2 chain of XI type collagen, a complex molecule that gives structure and strength to the connective tissues that support the body’s joints and organs. OSMED is characterized by severe sensorineural hearing loss and...

Introduction: Klippel-Feil Syndrome (KFS), prevalence of 1:40000, is characterized by congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae; three major features are short neck, low hairline at the back of the head and a limited range of motion in the neck. The phenotypic expression is variable, presenting with other vertebral abnormalities (congenital high scapula, scoliosis, kyphosis, spina bifida, hemivertebrae) or extra skeletal symptoms such us deafness, renal, heart or neurological ab...

Background: There is wide geographic variation in the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at onset of diabetes from ~15–70% in Europe and North America.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate the frequency of DKA at the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the paediatric population seen in the Department of Pediatric Diabetology of Turin (Italy) from 1/1/2008 to 31/12/2013.Method: Data (venous pH and HCO3, season at the onset)...

Background: Genetic and epigenetic alterations at the GNAS locus are responsible for the Gsα protein dysfunctions causing Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP), a heterogeneous disease characterized by multiple hormone resistances and AHO signs (short stature, obesity, round face, brachydactyly, subcutaneous ossifications and mental retardation). A clinical overlap among molecular subtypes of the disease (Ia, Ib, Ic and II) makes the current classification inadequate; furthermor...

Since the first description of pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP), a remarkable clinical variability, which translates in several PHP subtypes, was observed. In 2016 a new classification of this group of diseases have been published by the European Network on PHP and related disorders, proposing “inactivating PTH/PTHrP signaling disorder” (iPPSD) as a new term that encompasses all the clinical entities, stressing the common mechanism responsible for all diseases. iPPSDs ...

A 17-year-old girl comes to our attention for a second opinion due to reduced bone mineralization. She has a family history of osteogenesis imperfecta: her mother and younger sister have a COL1A1 mutation. The girl never had any fractures, but considering the familiarity it was carried out a DEXA, showing a Z-score of -1.9 SDS at the femoral level and -2 SDS at the lumbar level; no fractures visible in the spine X-ray. The genetic analysis of COL1A1 was carried out, which came...

Objective: Neonatal hyperthyroidism is a severe but generally transient condition with a 2% prevalence in offspring of mothers affected by Graves' disease. It is caused by the transplacental passage of maternal anti-thyrotropin receptor stimulant antibodies (TRABs). Here we report the cases diagnosed at our centre between 2015-2019 in order to re-evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to this challenging neonatal thyroid alteration.<p cla...

Aggrecan, encoded by ACAN, is a major proteoglycan component in the extracellular matrix of the growth plate. At least 25 pathological ACAN mutations have been identified in patients with highly variable phenotypes of syndromic or non-syndromic short stature. A 6-year-old boy was referred to our Centre for short stature (height 103.60 cm, −3.14 SDS) in familial short stature. Mid-Parental target height was 161.15 cm (−2.38 SDS); His father (height 167.3 cm) is from...