ESPE Abstracts

Background: H2O2 produced in large quantities in the thyroid may play a role in the pathogenesis of thyroid nodules and cancer. In vitro, moderate amounts of H2O2 are able to cause similar DNA damage compared to irradiation and even to induce RET/PTC rearrangements.Objective and hypotheses: We compared the defence mechanisms against H2O2 and irradiation in human thyrocytes, T-cell...

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin types 1 and 2 (PCSK1 and PCSK2) are expressed in neuroendocrine tissues where they cleave a subset of inactive prohormones into biologically active hormones, including pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), proTRH, proinsulin, proglucagon, and proGnRH. Congenital deficiency of PCSK1 is a very rare syndrome causing malabsorptive diarrhea contrasting with severe early-onset obesity and hypopituitarism. We described here a new case of cong...

Introduction: Premature thelarche is considered a benign condition of breast development in prepubertal girls. It usually resolves after a certain period of time.Materials and methods: A 1.5 year old girl was referred to the pediatric Endocrinology department due to breast development which appeared two months prior to the visit.Results: Upon clinical examination the patient had Tanner breast stage M2-3 bilaterally, but otherwise a...

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to P450c21 (21-hydroxylase) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder presenting as three phenotypes dependent on the residual enzyme activity: two classical ones (salt wasting and simple virilizing, SV) and the milder NCAH. All forms have increased adrenal androgens. Around 0.1% of Caucasians and up to several percent of certain ethnic groups are affected by NCAH. Most NCAH patients remain undiagnosed. Symptoms of NCAH may develop at any...

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a partial or complete loss of function of the thyroid gland resulting in absent or decreased synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones affecting infants since birth. Mutations of the hTPO gene are associated with autosomal recessive forms of CH. Based on our TSH screening results, the number of children with eutopic primary CH is increasing. Molecular biology techniques can identify the CH genetic cause after selection based on family histor...

Of the several genetic defects responsible for thyroid dyshormonogenesis, mutations in TPO gene are the most prevalent causes of inherited defects in CH. Prevalent mutations are in exons 8-11 (catalytic site).Case presentation: Girl, born at 16d after term, before the introduction of the neonatal screening, with asphyxia, BL 55 cm, BW 4 kg. Because of insufficient weight gain, feeding difficulties, prolonged jaundice she was referred to a pediatric endoc...

Background: The transcription factor (TF) SOX2 is expressed early in the embryological development and is essential for the development of many structures like neural system, pituitary gland, eyes, ears, esophagus, and gonads. The most common clinical manifestations of mutations in the SOX2 gene are eye abnormalities (anophthalmia/microphthalmia, coloboma, nystagm, and refractive errors) and hypopituitarism (deficiency of gonadotropic, GH, TSH, and ACTH). Molecular genetic stu...

Aims: The golden standard to characterize pubertal maturation is the analysis of steroid hormones in the blood. The aim of the investigation was to assess whether the analysis of salivary steroids is similarly able to characterize male pubertal development.Methods: The investigation included 165 normal boys (mean age 12.7±2.8 years, mean body mass index 19.6±4.2 kg/m2). Pubic hair stages were stratified by Tanner and testicular volum...

Background: Congenital hyperinsulinism is the most common cause of persistent hypoglycaemia in early infancy. Mutations in the HNF4A gene lead to transient hyperinsulinism in early infancy and maturity-onset diabetes of youth (MODY1), later in life. Fanconi syndrome is a generalised dysfunction of the renal proximal tubule with a loss of glucose, amino acids, phosphate, low molecular weight proteins, bicarbonate and urate, causing growth failure and rickets in childho...

Introduction: Micromastia or breast hypoplasia is a condition which is described as postpubertal underdevelopment of a woman’s mammary tissue. Breast hypoplasia may be congenital or acquired. The defect can be isolated or associated with other pathology, including syndromes and chest wall anomalies, it can also be unilateral or bilateral. Unilateral congenital breast hypoplasia is a rare anomaly of breast development, whose incidence is unclear.Meth...