ESPE Abstracts

Background: The short stature homeobox-containing (SHOX) gene, located in the telomeric pseudoautosomal region 1 (PAR1) on the short arm of both sex chromosomes, is important for linear growth.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of our study was to evaluate the presence of SHOX gene deletions/point mutations in children with short stature in order to understand the role of SHOX gene in idiopathic short stature (ISS) and estimate its frequency.<p class=...

Introduction: Diagnosing growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children is complex. Spontaneous growth hormone (GH) pulses during late night may influence the pituitary GH response to provocation tests. We evaluated refractoriness during arginine-insulin-tolerance test (AITT) when having a GH-peak during a short spontaneous nocturnal profile in children with short stature.Methods: Altogether 257 children 0-18 years were exa...

Introduction: In the last years, the relationship between clinical markers and blood parameters has been evaluated closely as part of transversal studies, but a longitudinal approach might be more useful in explaining its complexity.Aim: The study aims to evaluate the relationship between changes in the values of clinical markers and of the inflammatory, biochemical and hormonal profiles of obese and overweight children ...

Background: On reviewing practical aspects of intravenous bisphosphonate use in our tertiary Children’s Hospital, we noted disparity between departments who prescribed these drugs. This included issues pertinent to patient safety and hospital management, e.g. the need for overnight admission for the first infusion, blood tests and monitoring for adverse events (AEs). We therefore decided to survey the practices of other tertiary Paediatric Endocrinology Centres.<p cla...

Infantile hepatic hemangiomas (IHH) particularly the diffuse subtype, can in severe cases be associated with hepatic and cardiac failure, compartment syndrome, and consumptive hypothyroidism. Early recognition and treatment of these pathologies is paramount in order to minimise the risk of longterm sequelae. Thyroid hormones are crucial for growth and neurodevelopment, with three to five IQ points lost for each month hypothyroidism remains untreated in the first year of life. ...

Background: Bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclast activity, decreasing bone resorption and increasing bone mineral density (BMD). A Cochrane review in 2007 concluded further evidence is required for use of bisphosphonates in children with secondary osteoporosis.Objective and hypotheses: We appraised our current practice of bisphosphonate use in children with secondary osteoporosis (as defined by the 2013 International Society for Clinical Densitometry Posit...

Background: Glycogen-storage disease type VI (GSD VI) is an autosomal recessive disorder due to deficiency of the liver isoform of phosphorylase resulting in abnormal accumulation of glycogen. Patients typically present in early childhood with growth retardation, hepatomegaly, hypoglycaemia and ketosis. Ketotic hypoglycaemia is a relatively common diagnosis (of exclusion) in children presenting with hypoglycaemia.Case: A 3-year-old girl presented with an...

Background: The sonic hedgehog pathway (SHH) regulates CNS development and mutations or abnormal expression of the SHH pathway genes have been identified in epithelial tumors. SHH pathway interacts with Wnt/β-catenin signalling. To date, CTNNB1/β-catenin mutations are the sole molecular abnormality found in adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (ACPs).Objective and Hypotheses: To analyze the expression pattern of SHH pathway genes in ACPs and its...

Context: Children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) require chronic glucocorticoid administration to substitute glucocorticoids and suppress adrenocorticotropic hormone-induced hyperandrogenemia. There is still no evidence about the best timing of the highest hydrocortisone (HC) dose. Administration of the highest dose in the morning aims to mimic the physiological rhythm of cortisol, while a high dose late in the evening may inhibit the early-morning inc...

Context: The unified approach for obese children can result in therapeutic failure as obesity is a symptom of several conditions. It was previously suggested that only children with obesity onset beyond age 6 years will develop the metabolic syndrome and T2D. In turn, early childhood obesity carries a few times less risk of adult obesity comparing to that with the onset during juvenility.Aim: We determine the clinical an...