ESPE Abstracts

Background: Turner syndrome (TS) affects about one in 2500 liveborn females. It results from the loss of all or part of X-chromosome and has a variable phenotype. The classical form is characterised by short stature, skeletal abnormalities, lymphedema, renal and cardiac anomalies, webbed neck, peculiar neurocognitive profile and gonadal dysgenesis. While loss of up to 2/3 of the X chromosome short arm is compatible with normal fertility, chromosome deletions involving Xq are o...

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: Apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) is a rare congenital autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the HSD11B2 gene, which encodes the kidney isozyme of 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2, inactivating circulating cortisol to the less-active metabolite cortisone. Less than 100 cases of AME have been reported in the literature so far. Affected individuals have elevated renal concentrations of cortisol, which can cross-react and activate...

Background: GnRH analogs (GnRHa) have been used in treatment of idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) for several decades. Their effectiveness on adult height (AH) improvement has been widely studied and is still debated.Objective and hypotheses: To assess whether BMI changes in ICPP girls during GnRHa treatment can influence AH.Method: A retrospective study of 131 ICPP girls (mean age at diagnosis: 7.6±0.7, range 4.3&#...

Background: Screening for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) with the possibility of an early treatment has transformed the outlook for children with CH. Despite the unquestioned public health success of newborn screening programs, the management of CH is still controversial. Most patients with positive screening have permanent hypothyroidism but some of them may have transient hyperthyreotropinemia, so it is important to identify these patients in order to avoid lifelong unnecess...

Background: Cyclic treatment with bisphosphonates (BP) is now considered a ‘standard care’ for children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Vitamin D is a necessary nutrient for bone health for all children but especially for those with OI. In the literature few studies have considered the relationship between bone mineral density, vitamin D and pubertal stage in children treated with BP for OI.Objective and hypotheses: The purpose of this study...

Background: Genetic and epigenetic alterations at the GNAS locus are responsible for the Gsα protein dysfunctions causing Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP), a heterogeneous disease characterized by multiple hormone resistances and AHO signs (short stature, obesity, round face, brachydactyly, subcutaneous ossifications and mental retardation). A clinical overlap among molecular subtypes of the disease (Ia, Ib, Ic and II) makes the current classification inadequate; furthermor...

Background: Response to rhGH treatment is variable among GH deficiency (GHD), GH insensitivity and several intermediate conditions.Aims and objectives: To compare baseline parameters and response to rhGH treatment in eight diagnostic categories of patients with short stature.Methods: We selected 125 prepubertal children presenting at least 2 years of rhGH treatment (mean 5.29 years, range 2–15.6 years), hormonal and clinic par...

Background: Only few studies have focused on neurosensory hearing function of patients with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) identified by CH screening programs and treated early and, therefore, this issue remains still controversial.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of this study was to ascertain whether an early and adequate replacement treatment may be able to prevent sensorineural hearing loss in 32 screened children with CH and no associated risk fact...

Background: Hypothyroidism may be also a rare cause of acquired hypoceruloplasminemia. It has recently been underlined a role for thyroid hormone in the normal developmental regulation of ceruloplasmin (cp).Case presentation: A 3-year-old Caucasian girl was admitted to our clinic for recurrent pericarditis, fatigue and muscle weakness. Her family history was remarkable for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves disease. Her recent personal history was s...