ESPE Abstracts

Background: Cytochrome C oxidase (COX) is the fourth component of the respiratory chain. This protein is located within the internal membrane of mitochondria. COX deficiency is an inherited mitochondrial disease associated with considerable genetic and clinical variability(1). In fact, four clinical subtypes of this condition have been identified, each one with several phenotypic and genetic variants. Mitochondrial complex IV deficiency nuclear type 4 is a rar...

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP) results from premature activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which leads to an increased release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH stimulates the development of secondary sexual features, rapid bone maturation and growth. GnRH agonists (GnRHa) represent the gold-standard therapy in CPP children and their use is responsible for pituitary GnRH receptors down-regulation, luteinizing hormone (L...

Background: Children born SGA are at risk of becoming short adults. Although most children born SGA show catch-up growth in the first 24 months of life, approximately 10% remain below the 3rd centile throughout childhood and adolescence. The available evidence shows that GH therapy can increase adult height in short children born SGA although long-term response is variable and closely related to the 1st year response.Aims:</stron...

Background: Precocious puberty (PP) in girls is most frequently an idiopathic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-dependent PP, being thelarche the typical first sign. It is well established that increased dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) levels are associated with premature adrenarche and may characterize PP too. However, its relationship with signs of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis activation and estrogen exposure is still to be elucidate...

Background and Aim: The relationship between T1DM and autoimmune thyreopathies is known and described, but the relationship between thyreopathies and other type of diabetes is not sufficiently clarified in pediatric age. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATD) in children and adolescents with maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) in comparison with patients with T1DM and control group....

Background: GAIA is a health service of Meyer Children Hospital composed of a multidisciplinary team specialized in the management of children victims of child abuse. Sexual abuse occurs when a child is engaged in sexual activities that cannot comprehend, for which the child is developmentally unprepared and cannot give consent, and/or that violate the law or social taboos of society. The sexual activities may include all forms of oral-genital, genital, or anal contact by or t...

Background: Empty sella refers to the radiographic appearance of an enlarged or deformed sella turcica and it is considered a rare occurrence in childhood. Many reports have suggested that it is associated with hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction, with a high prevalence of growth hormone deficiency, as well as multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, idiopathic delayed puberty and isolated diabetes insipidus.Objective and hypotheses: We describe the case of...

Background: Haploinsufficiency of short stature homeobox containing gene (SHOX) is one of the main monogenic causes of short stature. The phenotype of SHOX deficiency (SHOX-D) is often mild, making difficult to identify which short-statured children should be screened.Objective and hypotheses: To estimate the prevalence of SHOX-D in Italian short-statured children and to analyse their phenotype and the sensitivity of various scores and anthropometric mea...

Background: There is an emerging evidence that the ovary may be an important site where genes such as LIN28b, whose polymorphisms has been strongly associated to age at menarche, could modulate the timing of puberty. Recent data suggest that the endocannabinoid system plays a role in folliculogenesis and ovulation, through cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) expressed in the ovary. On the other hand childhood obesity is associated with increased likelihood of early menarche,...

Background: Lipid assessment is emerging as a useful and easy detectable tool to define the overall cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents. Nevertheless, no all dyslipidemic patients suffer the same cardiometabolic consequences.Objective and hypotheses: To compare anthropometric, biochemical and blood pressure variables among dyslipidemic children and adolescents according to the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS).Metho...