ESPE Abstracts

Background: Obesity in childhood and adolescence represents a major health problem of our century, and accounts for a significant increase in morbidity and mortality in adulthood. In addition to the increased consumption of calories and lack of exercise, accumulating evidence suggests that childhood obesity is strongly associated with prolonged and excessive activation of the stress system.Objective and hypotheses: The aim of our study was to assess the ...

Background: In humans, glucocorticoids (GCs) regulate a broad spectrum of physiologic functions, exerting both genomic and nongenomic actions through their ubiquitously expressed glucocorticoid receptor (hGR). The rapid nongenomic actions of GCs are likely to be mediated by membrane hGRs that transduce the glucocorticoid signal via activation of kinases. S-palmitoylation plays an important role in plasma membrane localization and occurs through a highly conserved nine amino ac...

Background: Obesity is a metabolic disorder associated with increased PAI-1 levels in the circulation. This increase is related to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In adults the relationship between plasma PAI-1 levels and the 4G/5G gene polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene has been demonstrated, but few data exist in children.Objective and hypotheses: To assess the relationship between PAI-1 plasma levels and the PAI-1 4G allele gene polym...

Background: Honey is known for its medicinal and health promoting properties. It contains phytochemicals with high phenolic and flavonoid content, which contribute to its high antioxidant activity. Recent studies performed in adult healthy subjects suggest that honey has a beneficial effect on plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations compared with monosacharides and disaccharides from different sources.Objective/hypotheses: To compare the effects ...

Background: Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a rare group of disorders characterised by end-organ resistance to parathyroid hormone (PTH), and possibly TSH, with or without features of Albright’s hereditary osteodystrophy.Case presentation: A 14-year-old boy presented with fatigue and spontaneous carpal spasms in association with a febrile viral infection. Past medical history was significant for an episode of asymptomatic hypocalcemia treated with...

Background: A secular trend towards earlier menarche has been observed.Objective and hypotheses: The correlation of age at menarche with the BMI as well as the maternal age at menarche and their BMI.Method: This is a cross-sectional study conducted from October 2012–December 2013. A pre-selected, representative elementary and high school cohort was derived, using stratification and PPS methodology. Parents responded to questio...

Background: Tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids is characterized by significant inter-individual variation in terms of therapeutic response and susceptibility to several stress-related disorders. Proteomics approaches, combined with appropriate bioinformatics analysis, offer a comprehensive description of molecular phenotypes with clear links to human disease pathophysiology.Objective and Hypotheses: To investigate the usefulness of pl...

Background: Van Wyk-Grumbach syndrome (VWGS) is a rare diagnosis that should be suspected in children with signs of peripheral precocious puberty and hypothyroidism. It is characterized by multicystic enlarged ovaries, in the presence of long-term severe hypothyroidism. Treatment of VWGS consists of hormonal replacement with levothyroxine. Usually, ovarian cysts and increased ovarian volume subside within an average of 2 months but can persist up to 12 months after treatment.<...

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity has recently increased, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to lifestyle changes as a result of public health regulations and guidelines introduced by governments worldwide.Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of novel e-Health applications in addressing childhood obesity prior to and during the Covid-19 outbreak.Pa...

Objectives: Menarche is defined as the first menstrual bleeding in females, and the age of onset varies and depends on a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. The LIN28B gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs314276, rs7759938 and rs314280 appear to be associated with cases of premature and early menarche. International databases report that the presence of a G allele of rs314280SNP shifts menarche 1.2 months earlier, a C allele...