ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: After contact with the antigen, lymphocytes require activation for proliferation and differentiation into effector cells. Activation of lymphocytes results in the expression of activation markers. The CD69 antigen appears first on the surface of lymphocytes. This occurs one hour after receiving the activation signal. The CD69 molecule acts as a cellular stimulating signal, causing further activation and proliferation of cells, stimulating the syn...

Background: The N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) A803G polymorphism leading to substitution of lysine to arginine at residue 268 and codifying for a cytosolic enzyme catalysing acetyl-CoA-dependent N- and O-acetylation reactions, has been associated with decreased insulin sensitivity in a large adult population with the A allele associated with insulin resistance (IR)-related traits.Objective and hypotheses: We screened for this polymorphism, for th...

Background: Studies examining vitamin D levels in association with childhood obesity usually do not concurrently measure levels of vitamin D-binding protein and do not calculate the unbound, bioavailable vitamin D, that is considered the fraction of 25-hydroxyvitamin D able to exert biological activity.Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate in a group of children for the most part obese i) the concentrations of both total 25-hydroxyvitamin D and of the bi...

Background: Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD; MIM 119600) is a rare congenital autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia characterized by hypoplastic or aplastic clavicles, late closure of the fontanelles, open skull sutures, dental anomalies, moderately short stature and a variety of other skeletal features. CCD is caused by mutations, deletions or duplications in the runt-related transcription factor 2 gene (RUNX2), which encodes for a protein essential for osteoblast differentiatio...

Background: Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), have been associated with insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in non-pregnant adults. By contrast, recent pilot studies of pregnant women found negative associations between phthalates and blood glucose, and a lack of association with BPA. No studies have examined gestational IR or secretion in relation to EDC exposure.Objective: To confirm these re...

Childhood obesity has become a major health issue in the last decades. Moreover, identifying a simple, feasible, and valid screening tool to select subjects at higher risk for obesity-related comorbidities has become a challenge. Current guidelines reccommend to use BMI percentile for overweight and obesity diagnosis. However, waist-to-height ratio (WHR) has been associated with the risk of metabolic derangement in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity. In addit...

Background: Rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysfunction, hypoventilation, autonomic dysregulation and Neural tumor (ROHHADNET) is a rare condition. The first symptom is the appearance of rapid onset obesity (2–4 years) followed by central hypoventilation, hypothalamic dysfunction, dysautonomic symptoms and neural tumors.Objective and hypotheses: Aim of this study was to evaluate adrenal function in ROHHADNET patients from a single-center.<...

Background: ROHHADNET syndrome affects children with normal development until 2–4 years. A paraneoplastic/autoimmune etiology has been suggested because of the association with neural crest tumours.Objective and hypotheses: Aim of this study was to describe the phenotype of ROHHADNET patients, and to evaluate a possible role of autoimmunity in this disorder. In spite of a suspicion for genetic etiology, disease-associated genetic variations have not...

Aims: The balance between hypo/hypercortisolism and hypo/hyperandrogenism is the main challenge in clinical management of patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OH-D). In adults, it has been established that both over and under-treatment might lead to the development cardiovascular risk factors. To date, only a few studies have addressed weather this risk begins in childhood. Aim of our study is to define the presence of early metabolic risk factors preval...

Background: Vitamin D is now recognised as a prohormone, essential for the maintenance of mineral homeostasis, calcium metabolism and normal skeletal architecture. 30 ng/ml or greater can be considered sufficient serum levels. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among severely obese children is almost 49% caused by the fact that it is sequestered in the larger body pool of fat of such individuals, being vitamin D fat soluble. Vitamin D deficiency has been recently associate...