ESPE Abstracts

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a key component of the body's defence against cold challenge and possesses the ability to convert large amounts of chemical energy to heat, conferred by a unique protein, uncoupling protein (UCP)-1, diverting mitochondrial respiration from the production of adenosine triphosphate. In humans, the largest BAT depot is in the supraclavicular region. Sympathetic nervous system stimulation induces glucose uptake into brown adipose tissue, as does i...

Background: Pubertal induction with incremental doses of oestrogen replacement is an important component of care offered to hypogonadal patients with Turner Syndrome (TS). Low dose oral ethinylestradiol (EE) has been extensively used in the UK but natural 17-β oestradiol (more physiological, cheaper and easily monitored in blood) is becoming increasingly popular.We undertook this audit to compare the efficacy and acceptability of...

Introduction: Tyrosinaemia type 1 (TT1) is a rare autosomal recessively inherited disorder of tyrosine metabolism leading to accumulation of tyrosine and its metabolites in liver, kidney and central nervous system. TT1 is a heterogeneous disorder with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Hypoglycaemia is common, especially in the acute phase of the disease due to liver failure and reduced hepatic clearance of insulin. However, confirmed cases of hyperi...

Introduction: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is an overgrowth syndrome caused by multiple epigenetic/genetic changes affecting imprinted genes in 11p15.5 region. Phenotypic expression is variable. Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia is common (30-60%). Persistent, severe, refractory cases are usually associated with 11p15 paternal uniparental disomy, particularly the rare context of a coexisting paternal inactivating KATP channel variant. Those c...

Introduction: Hypomethylation at the imprinting control region 2 (IC2) on chromosome 11p15.5 is the commonest identifiable cause of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS). IC2 is located in KCNQ1 intron 10 and is associated with Long QT syndrome (LQTS). A recent consensus statement on BWS1 recommends annual cardiac evaluation with electrocardiogram (ECG) in these patients. The natural history of LQTS secondary to hypomethylation at IC2 in BWS is...

Introduction: Noonan Syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant condition that affects 1 in 1000 to 2500 live births and is associated with short stature. Studies have shown that height velocity (HV) improved significantly with the use of growth hormone (GH) in the first year of treatment and sustained for the second year. We aimed to look at the effects of GH therapy in our cohort of patients with NS.Method: In this retrosp...

Background: The most frequent cause of familial growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is Type II autosomal dominant GHD (isolated GHD type II) due to several heterozygous GH1 mutations.Method: Genomic DNA from patients with familial GHD was enriched for the coding exons using hybrid capture technology and GH1 was sequenced using Next Generation Sequencing technology. Plasmids containing genes for WT and A34T GH1 were transfected into NCI HEK2...

Background: Steroidogenic factor 1 (encoded by the NR5A1 gene) is a transcriptional regulator of genes involved in gonadal development and steroidogenesis. Mutations in NR5A1 are associated with a wide phenotypic spectrum in 46,XY individuals ranging from partial/complete gonadal dysgenesis or anorchia, ambiguous genitalia, hypospadias, to infertility. However, little is known about the longitudinal course of endocrine markers for Sertoli and Leydig cell func...

Many women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a delayed diagnosis after seeing multiple health care providers for their symptoms impacting on their physical and emotional well-being (1). In adolescent girls, PCOS diagnosis is even more controversial and challenging than in adult women yet there have been no studies in adolescents evaluating diagnostic experience, their knowledge and concerns. We aimed to evaluate diagnostic experience and concerns regarding PCOS in an ...

Background: Hypospadias is a common malformation of male external genitalia, resulting in urethral displacement with different severity. Male genital development occurs during fetal development when also the brain is developing rapidly. Genital development is dependent on androgen effect, and androgens also have impact on gender development. We here explore whether hypospadias are associated with variation in other aspects of sex typical development.<p c...