ESPE Abstracts

Background: Oxidative stress and adipocytokines are associated with obesity.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the association of adipocytokines with markers of pro- and anti-oxidation at baseline and their change and correlations during acute aerobic exercise in normal weight and obese pre- and early-pubertal boys.Method: Fifty healthy pre- and early-pubertal, normal weight and obese boys, underwent a baseline blood sampling...

Background: Implementation of neonatal screening programs for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) has reduced related nosologies and has eradicated CH-associated mental impairment. With the decrease of the TSH cut-off limits employed to avoid false negative results, milder cases of CH are diagnosed. Obviously, in a number of patients, especially among milder CH cases, thyroid dysfunction is transient. The diagnosis of transient vs. permanent CH is established in time. No specific p...

Background: Third generation aromatase inhibitors have been used to increase predicted adult height (PAH) in boys but in girls only in McCune–Albright syndrome.Objective and hypotheses: We overcame the theoretical concern of secondary hyperandrogenism by combining anastrazole to an LHRH analogue in a 6-year prospective study to test whether the combination therapy could significantly improve PAH compared to inhibition of puberty alone.<p class="...

Background/Aims: Since the introduction of Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ART), including classic In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intacytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), in clinical practice, several studies have addressed concerns regarding the long-term health of the offspring, revealing indications of an adverse cardiometabolic outcome. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) circulating level is significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiov...

Background: There is a need to increase digital health literacy in paediatric endocrinology due to the rapid emergence of digital technologies. Massive open online courses (MOOC) provide an opportunity to rapidly increase digital health capabilities at scale, as previously demonstrated in diabetes.1 To our knowledge, there are no comparable examples in the field of growth hormone deficiency.Aim: This study evaluates the ...

Introduction: The Short Synacthen Test (SST) is the most popular diagnostic investigation of adrenal insufficiency (AI) amongst adult and paediatric endocrinologists. AI can present insidiously and symptoms may be non-specific. The number of medical indications for glucocorticoids is growing and SST usage is correspondingly increasing. There is evidence that an early morning plasma cortisol (EMC) of below ~100–150 nmol/l is highly predictive of failing the SST and the cor...

Introduction: The Short Synacthen Test (SST) is the most popular diagnostic investigation of adrenal insufficiency (AI) worldwide. Symptoms of AI are frequently non-specific, often delaying diagnosis, however fortunately cases of adrenal crisis remain relatively rare. Diagnostic cut-offs for plasma cortisol on SST are controversial, made more complicated by modern assays and paediatric normative values extrapolated from adult data. Some advocate a division between biochemical ...

Background: The effect of profound weight loss following obesity surgery on skeletal microarchitecture and strength in adolescents has not been studied. Obese children are at an increased risk of fracture and childhood obesity leads to reconfiguration of trabecular bone without augmenting bone strength.Objective and hypotheses: To examine the impact of weight loss following 6 months treatment with an intragastric balloon supported by a lifestyle interven...

Background: A reduction in bone mass in adults and adolescents has been observed following Roux-en-Y bypass surgery with an increase in fracture risk reported in adults. However, the intragastric balloon (IGB) is a less invasive bariatric procedure.Objective and hypotheses: Given obese adolescents are at greater risk of fracture we studied the impact of a 6 month IGB insertion on skeletal mass, geometry and strength over 2 years.Me...

Background: Bone mass is low in obese children when measured by conventional techniques. However, these imaging modalities cannot quantify alterations in bone microstructure and strength. High resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT – isotropic voxel size 82 mm) provides the resolution required to determine 3-dimensional in-vivo bone microstructure; microfinite element (microFE) analysis of HRpQCT images provides insight into skeletal biome...