ESPE Abstracts

Background: Although multiple imprinting defects have been found by genetic analysis in a subset of patients with Beckwith–Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS), very few patients have been described with both genetic and clinical signs and symptoms of multiple diseases caused by imprinting defects.Methods: Methylation analysis of the KCNQ1OT1 gene was performed by Southern blot, methylation analysis of the GNAS region was done by MLPA.<p class="abs...

Background: Ovotesticular disorder of sex development (DSD) is characterized by the presence of both testicular and ovarian tissue in the gonads of an individual. Selective gonadal surgery is usually performed in infancy.Objective and hypotheses: Little is known about the long-term outcome of conservative gonadal surgery in ovotesticular DSD. We present our experience in a 46,XX girl diagnosed in the neonatal period.Method: The pat...

Context: Cryptorchidism, a common consequence of HH, is treated with orchiopexy. We previously observed that continuous subcutaneous infusion of gonadotropins restored normal serum testosterone and inhibin B concentrations in two infants with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) and was associated with testicular descent in one.Objective: Test if subcutaneous gonadotropin infusion within the first year of life can allow testicular descent in eight boys wit...

Autosomal dominant pseudohypoparathyroidism type-Ib is characterized by renal parathyroid hormone resistance, with resultant hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia. This disorder is associated with an isolated loss of methylation at GNAS exon A/B and most patients carry maternal microdeletions in the neighboring STX16 gene. The shortest deletion overlap is a 1.2-kb region spanning STX16 exon 4 and thought to harbor a cis-acting element regulating GNAS A/B methylation. However, abl...

Background: Over the last 25 years more than 410 cases with suspected Familial Glucocorticoid Deficiency (FGD) have been referred to our centre for genetic testing. All cases had low or undetectable serum cortisol paired with an elevated plasma ACTH level. Our patient cohort comprises 352 families from 30 different nationalities and ranges from neonates to patients in their eighties. Mutations in the MC2R were first discovered as causative of FGD in 1...

Objective: Typically, infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (IOGDM) have greater risks for macrosomia, later obesity and metabolic diseases. However, we have noticed that birth weights of IOGDM have reduced over the last decade even with uniform application of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group’s (IADPSG) consensus definition. We therefore compared infancy growth outcomes from two IOGDM cohorts born during non-overlapp...

Background: Normal TF is necessary for optimal growth. Changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis following GH therapy are reported. GH therapy has been suggested to centrally inhibit TSH production as well as peripherally increasing T4 to T3 conversion which increases negative feedback on TSH production. Hypothalamic dysfunction is a feature of PWS, therefore these patients may be at risk of developing central hypothyroidism associated with GH therapy.<p cla...

Introduction: Increasing incidence of male reproductive disorders may be due to fetal exposure to putative endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates and phenols. Anogenital Distance (AGD) is a biomarker of fetal androgen action in animals, and has recently been linked to testicular dysgenesis syndrome in humans.Objective: To examine the relationship between prenatal phthalate and phenol exposure and birth AGD in male infants.<p class="...

Background: Disorders of sex development (DSDs) refer to congenital disorders where the chromosomal, gonadal or anatomical sex is atypical. Patients typically present neonatally with ambiguous genitalia preventing immediate gender assignment or during adolescence where atypical sexual development becomes apparent. Genetic testing is key in establishing a diagnosis, allowing for personalised patient management and may significantly reduce the period of uncertainty for families ...

Background: Associations between foetal androgen deficiency and variations in anogenital distance (AGD) suggest that AGD is a reliable indicator of foetal androgen exposure. Similarly, variation in postnatal penis growth associated with variations in testosterone show penis growth to be a potential biomarker of early postnatal androgen exposure. Though variation in early androgen exposure is also hypothesized to underlie neurobehavioral masculinisation, until now, no reports h...