ESPE Abstracts

Background: Mounting evidence points to an association between increased glucocorticoid (GC) action and weight gain. However, the response to GCs is not only determined by GC serum concentrations, but also by individual differences in tissue-specific sensitivity, influenced by genetic and acquired (e.g. disease-related) factors. The extent to which differences in GC sensitivity may influence development of (abdominal) obesity, or vice versa, is poorly understo...

Background: Haplo-insufficiency of the Myelin-Regulatory Factor (MYRF) gene causes cardiac-urogenital syndrome (CUGS) and Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) in 46,XY and 46,XX (OMIM #618280). The gene product, a transcription factor, is involved in development of Coelomic epithelium derived cells, and likely causative for DSD. To date, only a few MYRF de novo variants are reported in children with DSD and associated CUGS symptoms.<s...

Introduction: Pituitary adenoma (PA) in childhood is a rare disease, accounting for 3 % of all intracranial paediatric neoplasm, and between 3 to 6% of all PA. There are only few large studies describing paediatric pituitary adenoma and even fewer studies with long-term outcome.Methods: In this retrospective study, clinical, biochemical and radiological parameters and outcome of paediatric patients (<16 years...

Background: Brain-Lung-Thyroid (BLT) syndrome (OMIM# 610978) is characterized by congenital hypothyroidism (CH), infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS), and benign hereditary chorea and is caused by thyroid transcription factor 1 (NKX2-1/TTF1) haploinsufficiency. The phenotype can be partial or complete and there is a large phenotypic variability.Objectives and hypotheses: Identify new genes in a selected group of patients presenting thyroi...

Background: Hypothalamic-Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) axis suppression is common during inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment of asthma, and deaths due to adrenal crisis are described. Little is known about the optimal treatment or recovery of ICS induced HPA axis suppression.Aims: To describe the treatment and outcomes of children with ICS induced HPA suppression diagnosed on the low dose short Synacthen test (LDSST).Method: The ...

Background: Childhood obesity is recognized as a chronic illness with limited therapeutic options. Addressing this condition through lifestyle interventions has proven to be challenging, particularly for adolescents, with only minimal outcomes observed. The use of GLP-1 agonists (such as Liraglutide) for reducing body weight in pediatric patients has yielded conflicting results. To date, no studies conducted in the Middle East have reported on the outcomes of ...

Introduction: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is a chronic disease that requires life-long hormonal replacement therapy. Growth of patients with CAH can be affected by this therapy or the hyperandrogenic effect of the disease. In this study, we aimed to assess the potential effect of CAH and its therapy on final height in Saudi affected patients.Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort study from two tertiary end...

Background: Triple A syndrome (AAAS, OMIM#231550) is a very rare inherited disease characterized by the association of chronic adrenal insufficiency, achalasia, alacrima and central and peripheral neurological disorders. It is caused by mutations in the AAAS gene which encodes the nuclear pore complex scaffolding protein ALADIN. The relative prevalence and genotype of AAAS in the Maghreb countries has not been ascertained.Objective and hypotheses: To est...

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), resulting from mutations in CYP11B1 (gene encoding 11β-hydroxylase), is a rare autosomal recessive disorder due to an impairment of the last steroidogenesis step. Consequences are a decreased cortisol secretion, elevated plasma levels of ACTH, and accumulation of steroid precursors responsible of hyperandrogenism and hypertension. It is the second most frequent cause of CAH after 21-Hydroxylase de...

We evaluated the final height and the endocrine complications encountered in young adult patients with Thalassemia Intermedia (TI) followed at Hematology Section, Doha (Qatar) in relation to the liver iron content (LIC) in non-transfused versus infrequently transfused TI patients.Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed on 28 young adults with TI who were randomly selected from the Hematology clinic, National C...