ESPE Abstracts

Background: Low bone mineral density (BMD) is found in up to 50% of adolescents and adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). High fracture risk has been described in adult PWS patients. This bone fragility could be due to inadequate gonadal hormones levels during pubertal development, and to relative growth hormone insufficiency during childhood and adolescence. However, the mechanism/s of low BMD in PWS have not been clarified.Objective and hypotheses: ...

Introduction: Several studies showing a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women have been published in recent years. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has been related to adverse events both in mother and child. Plasma 25-OH vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in the newborn are dependent on maternal deposits and show a close correlation with maternal levels; thus, neonates of vitamin D-deficient mothers present a greater risk of hypocalcaemia, rickets and a highe...

Introduction – Scope: Childhood cancer has an impact on the neurocognitive functions of growing children and adolescents. The aim of this study, which is the first of its kind in Greece, was to examine the differences in neurocognitive abilities between children and adolescents survivors of brain tumors (BT), and survivors of other types of cancer.Method: Study participants were cancer survivors aged 7 to 15 years,...

Background: The large phenotypic spectrum of Disorders of Sex Development are caused by mutations in many different genes, but a large phenotypic spectrum of sexual disturbancies may also be seen with different mutations in the same gene.Objective and hypotheses: To report on one new mutation in the 5 alfa reductase (SRD5A2) gene, and describe the extremes of the phenotypic spectrum of 5 alfa reductase deficiency presented in two patients.<p class="a...

Objective: The complex clinical phenotypes arising from HNF4A and HNF1A mutations are similar and include diazoxide-responsive CHI from infancy and maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) from adolescence. We aimed to characterise the clinical and genetic aspects of a cohort of paediatric patients with HNF4A or HNF1A mutations.Methods: Patients from five international centres over ...

Background: The COVID-19 crisis required paediatric endocrinologists to rapidly adopt telehealth into their clinical practice. Accurate auxology is a cornerstone of paediatric endocrinology care and is needed to monitor growth and guide medication changes. Remote consultations depend upon parent-reported measurements. However, home height measurements are often inaccurate.Aim: We designed a quality improvement study with...

Background: A multidisciplinary team (MDT) intervention may improve severe obesity in children through education and life-style change.Objective and hypotheses: MDT intervention leads to improvements in clinical measures of obesity.Method: Participants were selected by criteria: <16 years old; BMI >3.5SDS or BMI >2.5 SDS with obesity-related co-morbidity. Children and their families, attended intervention sessions over ...

Background: Prolonged poor dietary habits can result in hypothalamic inflammation and gliosis with more recent studies suggest that other brain areas may also be affected. Western or high fat diet intake has been associated with increased cognitive impairment and aberrant feeding behavior, with males and females being differentially affected. The hippocampus participates in both of these functions. Saturated free fatty acids can induce astrocyte inflammation and this could pot...

Despite the fact that patients with diabetes and medical staff are doing their best to achieve tight glycemic control, most patients all over the world do not achieve the goal. Good glycemic control is crucial to prevent diabetes related complications as well as hypoglycemic episodes, seizure, coma and death. The Diabetes wiREless Artificial Pancreas ConsortiuM (DREAM) was established by three diabetes centers in Slovenia, Germany and Israel, with a goal to reduce the risk of ...

The McCune–Albright syndrome can be a disease of striking complexity, the management of which can be challenging. However, an understanding of the physiologic consequences of the underlying molecular and developmental biology makes the evaluation and treatment of this disease relatively straightforward. MAS arises from activating mutations in the ubiquitously expressed cAMP-signaling protein, Gsα. The mutations occur very early in development, prior to gas...