ESPE Abstracts

Background and Aim: Pediatric patients with germline mutations in the phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten) gene frequently develop aberrant adipose tissue growth called lipomas. In severe cases, recurrent lipoma formation can have adverse effects on organ function and quality of life. Due to the lack of understanding the basis of lipoma development, no systemic treatment options are available. We therefore aimed to characterize an already described lipoma bea...

Background and aim: PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) is caused by germline mutation in the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene. PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene and antagonist of the growth and survival signalling Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR)- cascade. Patients with PHTS, amongst other symptoms, develop lipomas, for which the underlying mechanism is not completely understood. To investigate the role of PTE...

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and the melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4R) are playing a key role within the leptin-melanocortin-pathway and thereby for satiety regulation. Mutations within these genes are leading to hyperphagia and early-onset obesity. However, observations of cardiac abnormalities including left ventricular dilatation and reduced contractibility in the MC4R knockout mouse model and reports about a reduced blood pressure in human MC4R variant carriers, led us to inve...

Background: Whilst multi-disciplinary intervention models for children and adolescents with obesity remain recommended best practice, there is a lack of long-term outcome data, especially in home-based models and programs embedded within the clinical setting. Whānau Pakari is a community-based multi-disciplinary assessment/intervention programme for child obesity, focused on reducing health inequity. Based in Taranaki, Aotearoa/New Zealand, it focusses on...

The accumulation of adipose tissue, especially visceral fat, represents a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density and spontaneous fractures. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the complex relationship between adipose tissue and bone. Obesity is associated with the production of inflammatory cytokines both by adipocytes and immune cells which may stimulate bone resorption and reduce bone strength. Studies in vitro and in vivo have reported t...

Introduction: Childhood obesity is an international pandemic which affects 13% of Canadian youth, and is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children. While the optimal approach to treat pediatric obesity remains elusive, comprehensive and intensive behavioral interventions which leverage the child’s living environment in order to promote improvements in healthy lifestyles appear promising. The CIRCUIT program (Centre Pédiatrique d’Intervent...

Introduction: Pediatric obesity is a global public health problem that is associated with severe cardiometabolic consequences. Weight management interventions focusing on lifestyles have shown some promising results, but attrition rates are often high and reasons for dropout are poorly understood.Objectives: We aimed toestimate the prevalence, and identify the determinants of attrition among pediatric participants in the first year of a 2-year lifestyle ...

Background: Fertility Preservation (FP) in children and adolescents poses unique challenges as efficacy is unproven.Objective and hypotheses: To describe characteristics and evidence for potential fertility in ovarian and testicular tissue cryopreservation specimens (OTCP and TTCP respectively) taken from paediatric and adolescent patients, stratified by age, and prior chemotherapy.Method: Retrospective review of gonadal biopsies a...

Background: Consultations for infantile hypercalcaemia have increased at Sydney Children’s Hospital since guidelines for vitamin D3 supplementation during pregnancy were introduced in 2006. Recent nationwide shortages of low-calcium formula (LCF) suggest this problem may be widespread.Aim: To determine if infantile hypercalcaemia is occurring more commonly, identify potential aetiologies and clinical significance.Me...

Introduction: The melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is a G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) and plays a pivotal role in the central regulation of body weight in the hypothalamus. In the context of the leptin-melanocortin signaling pathway, the MC4R is activated by the endogenous ligands a- and b-MSH (melanocyte-stimulating hormone). This leads to the feeling of satiety and to a reduction in food intake. Mutations within the genes leptin, leptin receptor (LEPR), pr...