ESPE Abstracts

Background: Although motor performance is often impaired in patients with Turner syndrome, the exact prevalence of motor problems is unknown. Detailed studies on specific motor profiles are lacking and the exact relationship between performal IQ and motor function is unknown.Aims and objectives: 1. To describe motor performance in our population of children and adolescents with Turner syndrome including the differentiation in specific motor skill domains...

Introduction: Ghrelin binds to its receptor GHSR1A, encoded by GHSR, on somatotrophs of the pituitary. Growth hormone (GH) secretion is enhanced by ghrelin binding as well as the receptor’s constitutive activity. Results from in vitro experiments, knock-out mice, and GWAS suggest that heterozygous loss-of-function of GHSR may be associated with short stature, but observations in case studies are equivocal. We aimed to better ch...

Background: 46,XY patients with 5α-reductase deficiency (5-ARD), reared from birth as girls, are reported to self-reassign as boys subsequent to a masculinizing puberty; whether this holds true in cases of early orchidectomy is less well documented.Objective and hypotheses: Prepubertal orchidectomy reduces the likelihood of gender self-reassignment.Method: Presentation, management and outcome of two siblings with 5-ARD with na...

Background: Pubertal children born small for gestational age (SGA) with a poor adult height (AH) expectation can benefit from treatment with GH 1 mg/m2 per day (~0.033 mg/kg per day) in combination with 2 years of GnRH analogue (2 years GnRHa) and even more so with 2 mg/m2 per day (~0.067 mg/kg per day). Concerns haven been raised about the effects of GH and GnRHa on insulin sensitivity on the long-term.Objective and hypotheses: To ...

Background: The new preventive child health care guideline for referral of short/tall children facilitates early detection of growth disorders. Understanding the impact of early treatment initiation on recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) adherence and catch-up growth can support the use of the guideline.Aim: To evaluate the impact of age at rhGH treatment start on adherence (≥85% vs <85% of prescribed doses...

Background: Birth weight (BW) is often used as a proxy for gestational age (GA) by studies on preterm birth. Recent data indicate that the terms very-low-birth-weight (VLBW; BW <1500 g) and very preterm (VP; GA <32 weeks) birth are not equivalent with regard to perinatal outcomes and postnatal growth up until final height. It is unknown whether the differences between these terms could be extended to long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.Objectiv...

Background: Silver Russell syndrome (SRS) is characterized by low birth weight, severe postnatal short stature and distinctive facies. In ~50% of patients, (epi)genetic alterations can be detected (~40% hypomethylation of H19 on chromosome 11, ~10% maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) 7). As SRS patients are usually born small for gestational age (SGA), they are treated with GH to improve height. However, data on long-term effects of GH treatment in SRS patients are very limited....

Background: Preterm newborns are at risk of becoming transiently hypothyroxinaemic, which has been associated with neurodevelopmental impairments in childhood. It is not known whether these associations persist into adulthood.Objective and hypotheses: We studied the relation between transient hypothyroxinaemia of prematurity and IQ, neuromotor functioning and problem behaviour at young adult age.Method: This was a prospective study...

Background: Previously we showed that pubertal children born small for gestational age (SGA) with a poor adult height (AH) expectation can benefit from treatment with GH 1 mg/m2 per day (~0.033 mg/kg per day) in combination with 2 years of GnRH analogue (GnRHa) and even more so with a double GH dose. GnRHa treatment is thought to have negative effects on body composition and blood pressure. Long-term effects and GH-dose effects on metabolic health in children treate...

Background: In bilateral anorchia or vanishing testes syndrome, testicular function is normal during the embryonic period, as shown by the absence of Müllerian remnants and of hypospadias. Although normally differentiated, the penis may be small due to decreased testosterone secretion during the fetal period. In a normally virilised boy with non-palpable testes, with or without micropenis, the diagnosis is established by undetectable plasma anti-Müllerian hormone (AM...