ESPE Abstracts

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental condition in school-aged children, with a prevalence of 5–8%. In individuals with ADHD, there is an attenuated biologic stress response to challenging situations.Objective: This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an 8-week stress management program, comprising self-applied cognitive exercises, on stress perception and anxiety symptoms, sleep...

Background: ACTH-independent adrenal Cushing’s syndrome accounts for less than 15% of endogenous Cushing’s syndrome in children. We present a rare case of ACTH-independent adrenal Cushing’s syndrome, which was associated with myoclonic dystonia.Case presentation: A 12-year old girl was referred on account of rapid weight gain, fatigue, growth deceleration and facial hypertrichosis. She had a history of gait instability and ataxia till the ...

Background: Kisspeptin (encoded by the KISS1 gene in humans), originally described as a puberty onset regulating neuropeptide, is involved in many homeostatic systems, including nutrition status, glucose homeostasis, locomotor activity, etc. Thus, in today’s obesity epidemic, kisspeptin is gaining increasing interest as a research target.Aim: To construct an updated interactome of genetic determinants of obesity, including the kisspeptin si...

Introduction: Body composition analysis is a painless, bloodless and highly informative method of assessing health indicators that can be used extensively in the pediatric population. This is particularly important granted that the prevalence of childhood obesity has been increasing at a fast pace worldwide. Increased adiposity in children and adolescents is an important issue for children’s growth and psychologic development. Assessing the psychosocial status of children...

Introduction: Increased adiposity has been associated with smoldering systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome manifestations, leading to further morbidity by increasing the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in adults. Similar analyses have not been performed systematically in children and adolescents.Hypothesis: This study investigates the interrelations between body composition parameters and indices of inflammation and m...

Background: Translational research has provided evidence of autonomic nervous system (ANS) interactions with cytokines and gut hormones. In the gastrointestinal track, the crosstalk of the stimulated vagus nerve with immune cells enhances the cholinergic tone. In obesity, on the other hand, hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia induce ANS activation.Aim: To synthesize literature results exploring links among the autonomic nervous system, gut hormones, imm...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting children and adolescence. The traditional therapeutic options for AD, including emollients topically and immune modulatory agents systemically focusing on reducing skin inflammation and restoring the function of the epidermal barrier, are proven ineffective in many cases. Several studies have linked vitamin D supplementation with either a decreased risk to develop AD or a clinical improvement of the symptoms of...

Background: Third generation aromatase inhibitors (AI) have never been used as monotherapy, except for Mc Cune-Albright syndrome and autonomous ovarian cysts, to increase predicted adult height (PAH) in girls, mainly due to the theoretical concern of hyperandrogenism. Our previously published GAIL study [J Endocrinol Invest. 2016 Apr;39(4):439–46] has shown that the combination of anastrozole to an LHRH analogue for 24 months is safe and effective in ameliorating PAH in g...

Objective: To investigate the association of the gonadal axis with pro- and anti- oxidation, in relation to obesity and pubertal status in boys, before and after a stimulatory exercise bout.Design: Cross-sectional human experimental study.Methods: Ninty-two healthy normal-weight and obese pre- and early- pubertal boys, participated in this study. All subjects underwent a baseline blood sampling followed by an aerobic exercise bout ...

Backgound: Alopecia areata (AA) or Alopecia Totalis (AT) is an autoimmune disease directed at the hair follicle, either limited to patchy hair loss over the scalp (focalis), or as total loss of scalp hair (totalis) or as total loss of both scalp and body hair (universalis). Management can be challenging, and despite multiple treatment modalities, no therapy still stands. While localized AA may respond well to topical corticosteroids, many patients require more aggressive secon...