ESPE Abstracts

Background: The human growth pattern varies from intrauterine to extrauterine life, with the GH-IGF axis being immature at birth and IGF-I assuming an important role in promoting postnatal growth. The actions of IGF-I are modulated by its interactions with IGFBPs, with this interaction being regulated by pappalysins (PAPP-A, PAPP-A2) and stanniocalcins (STC-1, STC-2), and thus modifying the amount of free IGF-I.Objective:</strong...

Introduction: X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH) is characterized by a mineralization disorder in the growth plate and cortical and trabecular bones, resulting in bone deformities with anthropometric changes and potential alterations in body composition.Objective: To evaluate the body composition of 12 children and adolescents with XLH compared to healthy controls by anthropometric and densitometry data.<p class...

Leptin is a type I cytokine and belongs to the long-chain helical cytokine subfamily just as GH, IL-6 and G-CSF. Leptin is produced mainly in white adipose tissue and thereby reflects body energy stores. Leptin serum concentrations are high in obese and low in underweight individuals or in those with low body fat e.g. in athletes and in patients with lipodystrophy. The leptin/leptin receptor system is crucial for the regulation of body weight. Rare homozygous mutations in the ...

Endocrine disorders are the most common causes of secondary hypertension. Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial for prevention of cardiovascular complications. Several rare but important entities like Cushing’s syndrome and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma can cause endocrine hypertension, in contrast to primary aldosteronism, which is quite frequent. Definition, classification and prevalence: With a prevalence of 6% in unselected patients with hypertension, 5 to...

Objective: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 Diabetes (T1DM) and its associated factors.Methods: This was a descriptive study of 136 patients with T1DM from five hospitals in Catalonia, Spain (72 girls, mean age 13.4 years (range 8–19). Inclusion criteria were more than 6 months from diagnosis, more than 8 years old and without cognitive problems. Sociodemographic (age, sex, family l...

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism due to impaired activity of one enzyme required for cortisol biosynthesis. Steroid 21-hydroxylase (21OH) deficiency is the cause in more than 90% of the patients. The 21OH is encoded by the CYP21A2 gene located on the chromosome 6 in the region known as the RCCX module. Due to the high homology and tandem-repeat organization of the RCCX module, this region of the genome is subjected to...

Background: Several genetic defects (GHR, SHOX, GHSR, NPR2, IGFALS) have been reported in children classified as ISS. ISS children are GH sufficient and about one third of them show low IGF-I levels, suggesting some degree of GH insensitivity.Objective: To explore potential genetic defects in ISS children suspicious of GH insensitivity, selected by low IGF-I levels and low response to IGF generation test.<...

Background: Human IGF1 gene defects are characterized by intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation, sensorineural deafness, microcephaly and intellectual disability. Seven cases have been reported so far, and the underlying pathophysiology has been characterized in only three.Objective: To describe a patient with severe short stature presenting a novel homozygous IGF1 gene mutation and its underlying pathogenic mechanism.<p clas...

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a spectrum of clinicopathological conditions frequently discovered in obese patients and characterized by multifactorial pathogenesis. Hypoadiponectinaemia and higher interleukin (IL)-6 levels has been related to NAFLD, even if some contradictory findings have emphasized our incomplete understanding of the role of the cytokines in NAFLD.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the relations...

Introduction: GH deficiency (GHD) in adults is associated with impaired cardiac function, contributing to increased mortality due to cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that adults with GHD have high levels of brain natriuretic peptide as a measure of cardiac function. GH replacement therapy can improve cardiac function and lower BNP levels. The scarce research carried out in children appears to show that GHD is linked to decreased left-ventricle size and reduced left-v...