ESPE Abstracts

Background: Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is a rare disorder in the paediatric population. Patients are at risk of an adrenal crisis (AC), which comprises hypotension, acute abdominal symptoms, reduced consciousness, hypoglycaemia, hyperkalaemia and hyponatremia. Immediate administration of parenteral hydrocortisone is essential to prevent AC progression but delays may occur when health attendants are unaware of the underlying AI diagnosis. Medical jewellery is a...

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of vitamin D supplementation on androgen levels in adolescent girls who were treated with metformin.Method: 45 adolescent girls diagnosed with hyperandrogenism were divided into the 3 different groups according to the treatment scheme. Patients treated with metformin (850 mg / day oral)(n = 15), metformin and vitamin D drops (2,000 IU / day)(<em...

Introduction: Very little is known about the development of the immune system during puberty. Autoimmune diseases, like juvenile onset systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE), have an unexplained female bias and a higher incidence after puberty. IFN alpha (IFNα) is a potent antiviral cytokine, and jSLE has a strong IFNα transcriptional signature. Toll like receptors 7 and 9 (TLR7/9) sense viral RNA and DNA respectively, and trigger plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) to p...

Introduction: There are well described sex differences in the immune system. It has been shown in both innate and adaptive immunity that females have a more robust response than males. Various autoimmune diseases have a strong sex bias towards females. It is the accepted dogma that oestrogen in females relates to an increased risk of autoimmunity, but evidence to this end is scarce. Interferon alpha (IFNα) is a potent anti-viral innate cytokine, and many autoimmune diseas...

Background: Exercise programs are related to the anabolic function of GH/IGF-I axis.Objective and hypotheses: To analyse IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and ALS serum concentrations in adolescent swimmers at different stages of training season, and compare them with physical performance and body composition.Method: Nine male athletes, aged 16–19 years, who trained regularly throughout the season, were studied. IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and ALS were recor...

Background: Genetic defects in the insulin receptor (INSR) are rare. Precise prevalence is unknown and significant clinical heterogeneity exists. Over 120 allelic variants have been described to date, spread throughout the receptor, and few geographical founder effects have been described. In this case series we identify a novel missense mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain of the INSR in three independently ascertained Irish families.Objective and Hyp...

Background: Steroid 17-hydroxylase deficiency (17OHD) (OMIM 202110) is a rare form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia caused by loss-of-function mutations in the 17α-hydroxylase (CYP17A1) gene. CYP17A1 is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of adrenal and gonadal steroid hormones facilitating both 17α-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities. The CYP17A1 gene is located on chromosome 10 and has eight coding exons. Herein, the molecular basis of 17OHD in a...

Background: Robot assisted therapy has the potential to provide emotional and educational support to young patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM).Objective: To investigate the attitudes of children and young people with T1DM and that of their parents towards the concept of utilising a humanoid robot as an assistant in the management of their diabetes.Methods: A humanoid robot programmed to help self-management of T1DM at home was int...

Background: X-linked AHC is a rare disorder of the adrenal cortex caused by mutations in the NR0B1 (DAX1) gene. NR0B1 (DAX1) encodes for an orphan nuclear hormone receptor which is expressed in the adrenal, gonad, hypothalamus, and pituitary glands. Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is the most frequently observed puberty disorder (absent or delayed puberty) caused by mutations in the NR0B1 (DAX1) gene and is due to impaired gonadotropin synthesis a...

Background: The WDR11 gene was recently involved in the pathogenesis of isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH). In 2010, Kim et al. (1) identified five different heterozygous missense WDR11 rare variants in six of 201 IHH patients (five normosmic IHH and one Kallmann syndrome), which were absent in more than 400 controls. Animal studies demonstrated that WDR11 interacts with EMX1, a homeodomain transcription factor involved in the development of olfacto...