ESPE Abstracts

Background: Recently, mutations of makorin RING-finger protein 3 (MKRN3) have been identified in familial central precocious puberty (CPP). Serum levels of this protein decline before the pubertal onset in healthy girls and boys and are lower in patients with CPP compared to prepubertal matched pairs. The aim of the study is to investigate longitudinal changes in MKRN3 circulating levels in patients with CPP before and during GnRHa treatment.Me...

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP) is often familial but its genetic cause is largely unknown. Very recently, the makorin RING finger protein 3 (MKRN3) gene has been found mutated for the first time in 5 families with familial precocious puberty. The inheritance pattern is particular being the MKRN3 a maternal imprinted gene. Moreover in a recent genome wide association study common intronic or intragenic variants harbouring this gene and other two imprinted genes, D...

Background: IGF1R mutations are characterized by IGF-1 resistance causing impaired fetal and postnatal growth. Several reports in children with heterozygous defects of IGF1R have demonstrated a variable phenotype, which can be associated to microcephaly, dismorphic features and mild developmental delay.Case presentation: We report of an 8-years-old boy, who came at our observation with short stature (−3.2 SDS) and mild microcephal...

Background: The onset of physiological puberty in females is characterized by physical, hormonal, and genital changes. However, a single specific parameter to early identify these modifications does not exist; its identification could be extremely useful in the evaluation of pubertal development disorders. The uterine artery pulsatility index (PI), defined as systolic peak – diastolic peak/average speed of maximum flow, is an expression of vascular compliance in the uteri...

Background: GnRH analogs (GnRHa) have been used in the management of central precocious puberty (CPP). The response to GnRHa treatment are evaluated by clinical, hormonal, and ultrasonographic criteria. However, a single parameter to define the adequacy of therapy is not defined. The uterine artery pulsatility index (PI), defined as systolic peak – diastolic peak/average speed of maximum flow, is an expression of vascular compliance in the uterine artery. Circulating estr...

Background: The correlation between obesity and depression is well established. Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential amino acid that acts as substrate for serotonin and melatonin biosynthesis, both know to play a role in satiety, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, low plasma Trp levels have been associated with obesity.Objective: To investigate the effects of Trp supplementation as a conjunctive therapy to conventional life-style intervention on weight lo...

Background: Isolated hypoaldosteronism is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder of terminal aldosterone synthesis, leading to selective aldosterone deficiency. Two different biochemical forms of this disease have been described, called aldosterone synthase deficiency or corticosterone methyl oxydase, types 1 and 2. In type 1, there is no aldosterone synthase activity and the 18 hydroxycorticosterone (18 OHB) level is low, whereas in type 2, a residual activity of aldostero...

Introduction: X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLHR) represents the most common form of genetic hypophosphatemia and causes rickets in children because of increased FGF23 secretion and renal phosphate wasting. Even though cranial vault an craniovertebral anomalies of potential neurosurgical interest, namely early closure of the cranial sutures and Chiari type I malformation (CM-I), have been observed in children with XLH, their actual incidence and character...

Background: There is a clear need for improved patient-centric approaches in the treatment of chronic conditions, including paediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Greater understanding of the patient’s treatment journey has the potential to inform clinical decisions and to improve clinical- and patient-reported outcomes. Connected Health (CH) combines state-of-the-art technologies, tools, methodologies and analytics to create new patient-centric hea...

The easypod™ electromechanical injection in combination with the easypod Connect platform electronically records and transmits, in real time, accurate, objective records of the date, time and dose injected for patients receiving Growth Hormone (GH) for growth disorders, limiting the risk of misreporting and allowing physicians to accurately monitor patient behavior.The aim was to study individual patterns of adherence from start treatment up to 24 m...