ESPE Abstracts

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: Initiation and progression of puberty requires concerted action of activating and inhibiting factors. Recently, cases of central precocious puberty have been linked to loss-of-function mutations of makorin RING-finger protein 3 (MKRN3) indicating a pivotal inhibitory role of MKRN3 on GnRH secretion.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate peripubertal circulating MKRN3 levels in healthy boys.Method: Healthy boys (n<...

Background: Arnold-Chiari malformations (CM), types I-IV, refer to a spectrum of congenital hindbrain maldevelopments characterized by downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsils. CM-I is defined as tonsillar herniation of 3–5 mm below the foramen magnum and is the most common and the least severe of the spectrum.Objective and hypotheses: Children with CM-I usually are asymptomatic and often diagnosed in adulthood, therefore early presentation of ...

Background: Optimal glycemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is often hampered owing to psychologic maladjustment of both patients and their parents. Accumulating evidence suggests that hyperglycemia may be associated with prolonged activation of the stress system.Objective and hypotheses: To pilot test a 12-week intervention program including psychoeducation about stress, healthy lifestyle, diaphragmatic breathin...

Introduction: Klippel-Feil Syndrome (KFS), prevalence of 1:40000, is characterized by congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae; three major features are short neck, low hairline at the back of the head and a limited range of motion in the neck. The phenotypic expression is variable, presenting with other vertebral abnormalities (congenital high scapula, scoliosis, kyphosis, spina bifida, hemivertebrae) or extra skeletal symptoms such us deafness, renal, heart or neurological ab...

Background: Preterm birth is associated with hypertension and increased fat contents in later life. Salt sensitivity (SS) could be a mechanism underlying this relationship. In adults SS has been recognised as a cause of hypertension that is related to low birth weight and obesity.Objective and hypotheses: We studied the prevalence of SS in 7–8-year old children born <32 weeks of gestation and/or with a birth weight <1500 g as well as its rel...

Background: X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) presents with two phenotypes: i) an adult form (adrenomyeloneuropathy, AMN), that involves axonal tracts without demyelination within the spinal cord and affects adult males and more than 80% of X-ALD heterozygote women in adulthood resulting in severe paraplegia. This far the most frequent form of X-ALD. Addison’s disease is very rare in X-ALD women but frequent in adult AMN males, very often with onset years or decades b...

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Background: rhGH therapy may improve linear growth in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Poor bone health and abnormal body composition are recognised complications in paediatric IBD.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the effects of rhGH on bone health and body composition.Method: Sub-analysis of 13 children with IBD (12CD; 1UC) in a randomized controlled trial. Either rhGH (0.067 mg/kg per day) as daily s.c. inj...

Background: GH treatment is effective in improving adult height (AH) in short children born Small for Gestational Age. If SGA children are short at the start of puberty, they could benefit from combined GH/GnRH Analogue (GnRHa) treatment.Objective and hypotheses: To determine the timing and progression of pubertal development in short SGA children, comparing GH treatment with combined GH/GnRHa treatment.Method: For the present stud...