ESPE Abstracts

Background: Recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) treatment can optimise growth potential; however, optimum outcomes are not always achieved owing to several reasons, including poor adherence. This analysis sought to operationalize psychosocial drivers of non-adherence in GH patients, using the three-component, evidence-based capability, opportunity and motivation behavioural framework (COM-b). The framework allows for matching of specific interventions to help modify behav...

The Easypod™ Connect Observational Study (ECOS) was the first global study of easypod™, currently the only electronic injection device for recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH; Saizen®). ECOS reported accurate and robust real-time adherence data in a large cohort of patients. In this analysis, we assess the adherence of r-hGH administered via easypod™ in a cohort of Greek patients from ECOS (EMR200104-520, NCT01363674). Patients aged 2–18...

Background: The diagnosis of Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) involves the use of GH stimulation tests that require day case admission, multiple blood sampling and are associated with significant adverse effects.Aim: To assess the utility of gene expression (GE) profiling and candidate SNP analysis for the diagnosis of and classification of GHD.Method: Pre-pubertal treatment-naïve children with GHD (n=98) were enrolled from the...

Background: The relationship of pre-treatment gene expression (GE) to long-term growth response in GHD is unknown. Prediction of long-term response to r-hGH therapy would allow better decision making about start and maintenance doses and hence cost:benefit.Objective and hypotheses: To assess the relationship of baseline GE to response to r-hGH over 5 years of therapy in GHD children.Method: Pre-pubertal children with GHD (n</em...

Background: A growth prediction model would not only allow patients with growth disorders the opportunity to see the expected effect of their recombinant human growth hormone (r hGH) treatment, but also support healthcare professionals to individualise treatment to optimise growth outcomes.Aim: To develop a growth prediction model in children with growth disorders.Patients and Methods: Height and c...

Background and aim: Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare disease with various clinical signs in different age periods. Early diagnosis has a proven benefit in PWS, allows for timely diet therapy and prevention of obesity, early administration of growth hormone. The purpose of the study is to analyze the features of neonatal adaptation in children with PWS, to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy in the dynamics of the analyzed period.<stron...

Background: Treatment for growth disorders requires daily injections of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) over multiple years, and automated devices may help in this regard. The ability to adjust injection device settings, which are pre-set as default unless changed by healthcare professionals, may improve patient comfort and needle anxiety and thereby improve adherence.Aim: To study the association between inject...

Background: The PAX8 gene (Paired box gene 8) is located on the long arm of chromosome 2 (2q12–q14), contains 12 exons and encodes a similarly named PAX8 protein. This protein is a transcription factor which in the thyroid gland is essential for the follicular cells formation and takes part in the expression of the thyroid-specific genes (TG, TPO, and SLC5A5). Variants in the gene have been previously associated with autosomal dominant thyroid dysgenesis...

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects about 1% of females under 40 and represents a major cause of female infertility. Approximately one third of POI are of genetic in origin, including FMR1 premutation, Turner syndrome and approximately 60 other genes, involved in development, hormonal signaling, cell division and survival, immunity, and metabolism. MCM8 is a recently discovered gene that plays an important role in homologous recombination and DNA repair and only up to ...

Background: Multiple anterior pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD) may present in the newborn period or in early infancy with hypoglycemia, prolonged cholestatic jaundice micropenis, undescended testes due to GH, ACTH, and LH deficiency. Central hypothyroidism is becoming manifest later, less severe than primary hypothyroidism, usually without intellectual impairment. A male patient was admitted to our clinic with severe short stature at the age of 2 years, born with normal len...