ESPE Abstracts

Background: Achondroplasia (ACH), caused by a pathogenic variant in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene (FGFR3), is characterized by severe growth failure and may be associated with multisystemic complications. The clinical phenotype is variable and relates to deformity of rhizomelic shortened legs, and myelon compression at cranial base and spine. Recent guidelines are published for diagnostic workflow, neurosurgical, orthopaedic and otorhinolaryngol...

Background: Disorders related to an impairment in parathyroid hormone (PTH) signaling pathway are historically classified under the term pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP), that now encompasses rare, related but highly heterogeneous diseases with demonstrated (epi)genetic causes. The actual classification is based on the presence or absence of specific clinical and biochemical signs together with an in vivo response to exogenous PTH and an in vitro assay of Gs&#9...

Background: Achondroplasia (Ach) is a rare growth disorder caused by a point mutation in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene that results in dysproportionate extreme short stature and can lead to a wide range of multisystemic complications throughout the individual's life with reduced quality of life. In the past, orthopaedic and neurosurgical therapies have been developed to partially improve mobility, reduce pain and prevent neurological disabi...

Background: Weight status in children is commonly defined using BMI (SDS), but this measure is problematic due to the skewness of the BMI distribution and its age-dependant increase. In addition, it is difficult for physicians or parents alike to grasp what a certain value means. Excess body weight (EBW) is frequently used in adult patients in the context of bariatric surgery.Objective and hypotheses: An appropriate definition for the paediatric populati...

Introduction: The prevalence of pediatric type 2 diabetes (T2D) increased over the last 2 decades, related to the rise in obesity. Meanwhile, treatment options for T2D have evolved considerably. Therefore, we analyzed changes in treatment approaches for pediatric T2D over two decades.Material and Methods: Patients with T2D from 321 pediatric diabetes centers (Austria 24, Switzerland 2, Luxemburg 1, Germany 290) were reco...

Introduction: Vosoritide is licensed by EMA for the treatment of children with achondroplasia above 4 months of age in 2023 (initial approval for children above 2 years in 2021). The CNP analogue modulates enchondral bone growth and improves growth velocity. Response to therapy varies between individuals. Nineteen European centers enter auxological and diagnosis-specific data into the achondroplasia module of the CrescNet® registry to monitor treatment. We...

Background: Lifestyle interventions show a long lasting weight reduction in only 10–20% of obese children and adolescents. Leptin as one major player within the central regulation of food intake and energy expenditure is most likely to mediate the endogenous drive for weight regain.Objective and hypotheses: To estimate weight regain after weight loss and the role of leptin in regain.Method: We included 153 obese children/adole...

Background: In addition to its function in circadian rhythm Melatonin plays an important role in energy metabolism and body weight regulation. In animals pinealectomy induces insulin resistance and administration of melatonin to diabetes prone rats ameliorates their glucose metabolism. Furthermore loss-of-function mutations of the melatonin receptor gene are associated with insulin resistance and DM II in humans.Objective and hypotheses: So far the effec...

Introduction: Childhood obesity shows increasing numbers worldwide and presents as a global health issue due to multiple metabolic comorbidities. About 1 % of adolescents with obesity develop type 2 diabetes (T2D), however little is known about the genetic and pathophysiological background in young age. Genome-wide association studies in adults revealed genes with increased diabetes risk, most of them regulating insulin secretion. The objective of this study w...

Introduction: Longitudinal skeletal growth is achieved by enchondral ossification in epiphyseal growth plates (GP) of long bones and vertebrae. These highly organized cartilaginous tissues contain chondrocytes of all differentiational stages classified in three distinct zones named resting, proliferative and hypertrophic. Separated analysis of individual zones is essential in basic GP research thus efficiency of different zonal separation methods confers high ...