ESPE Abstracts

We report on a nearly 4-year-old girl who presented to the emergency room of our paediatric clinic with high fever and poor general condition, swelling of the neck and swallowing difficulties. Laboratory chemistry showed a marked hyperthyroid metabolic state, so that initially a thyrotoxic crisis in Graves' disease was considered (TSH 0.03 mU/L (-), fT4 28.10 pmol/l (+)). Therefore, a short-term therapy with thiamazole was given. The thyroid autoantibodies were negative. ...

Aim of the Study: Cryptorchidism occurs more frequently in CF-children, and malformed epididymis was found more in cryptorchid boys with abrogated mini-puberty. Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is transporter protein that acts as a chloride channel. Specifically, CFTR is associated with spermatogenesis and fertility.Patients and Methods: Testicular biopsies for histological and RNA analysis from...

Behavioral studies suggest that brain satiety responses to food consumption are altered in children with obesity. We studied brain regions involved in satiety processing using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after a test meal. Satiety-related hormonal changes were assessed. Fifty-four 9-11 year-old children with obesity (OB) and 22 children with healthy weight (HW) were studied. Subjects underwent two fMRI scans, one before and one after a test meal, an...

Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) is a multidimensional indicator including several functions and represents an important evaluator of patient’s health, especially in chronic diseases. Treatment with aGnRH in Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) is source of stress for patients and families. The aim of our study is to evaluate QoL and levels of therapy-related stress in patients with CPP and in their families during and after treatment.Material and me...

Background: Controlling eating rate may be a mechanism for reducing calorie consumption. We need to understand the physiological basis of this to design effective paediatric interventions.Objective and hypotheses: This study investigated the effect of eating rate during lunch on post-meal neural response (fMRI), satiety hormone levels, appetite ratings (VAS), meal enjoyment, memory for recent eating and snack consumption.Method: Tw...

Background: Primary Addison’s disease (AD) is a rare endocrine condition, with reduced or absent secretion of adrenal hormones. Steroid replacement therapy normalizes endocrine assess and the quality of life. More than a half of patients display additional autoimmune conditions, which represent a considerable clinical concern.Objective and hypotheses: Antiparietal cells antibodies (APC-Ab) are commonly found in patients with autoimmune Addison’...

Background: Spermatogonia contain processing bodies (P-bodies) that harbour P-element induced wimpy testis (Piwi) proteins associated specifically with Piwi-interacting RNAs to silence transposable DNA elements. In mice loss-of-function mutations in the Piwi pathway lead to de-repression of transposable elements, resulting in male-specific sterility.Objective and hypotheses: No previous studies have examined expression of transposons silencing gene micro...

Background: Several studies have examined the relationship between type 1 diabetes and bone mass, which reported contradictory data on BMD, bone remodelling markers and bone quality. Nevertheless an incresead prevalence of osteopenia was observed among patients with duration of disease of >6 years.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to investigate the potential negative impact of type 1 diabetes on bone status in a group of children wi...

Keywords: Achondroplasia, Hypochondroplasia, Dwarfism, Fibroblast growth factor receptor-3.Introduction: Achondroplasia (ACH) and hypochondroplasia (HCH) are the two most common forms of short-limb dwarfism. They are autosomal dominant diseases characterized by a rhizomelic shortening of the limbs, genu varum, trident hands, large head with frontal bossing and hypoplasia of the mid-face. Both ACH and HCH are caused by mi...

We describe a 5 years-old patient referred to our centre for dysmorphic features and delayed psychomotor development. Negative family history, second child, full-term birth, eutocic delivery, regular growth parameters at birth and neonatal adaptation. Autonomous walking at 20 months with clumsiness; first words at 2 years with dysarthria and dysphagia. Brain MRI and array-CGH were normal. At the neurological examination: perioral hypotonia, sialorrhea, praxic difficulties. At ...