ESPE Abstracts

Background: Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is an important cause of hypopituitarism, although less common than multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD). Children with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) are at risk of hormone and neurocognitive disturbances.Objective and Hypotheses: We describe clinical and neuroradiological findings of these three overlapping conditions, aiming to understand their pathophysiology.Method: Retrospective a...

In the typical developing gonad, cells with XY chromosomes become masculinised into Sertoli cells, leading to the development of the bipotential gonad into testes. Disruptions to sex determining genes and transcription factors, or XX chromosome complement, typically leads to failure of Sertoli cell development. In the study of sex determination, upregulation of specific genes in animal models has sucessfully led to male factor expression in XX cells in some animals but not in ...

Three patients from two unrelated families in Malta; one consanguineous (siblings: Patient 1, male and Patient 2, female) and one non-consanguineous (Patient 3, male), manifested hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with delayed puberty, intellectual disability, scoliosis, and ataxia with cerebellar hypoplasia on MRI. GnRH tests revealed low peak LH and FSH concentrations in the patients: Patient 1; LH 2.3 IU/L, FSH 4.4 IU/L (14.3y), Patient 2; LH 3.6 IU/L, FSH 6.4 IU/L (12.5y), Pati...

Background: The TRH receptor (TRHR) is a G-protein coupled receptor activated by hypothalamic TRH. In thyrotropes, TRH-TRHR signalling controls synthesis, secretion and bioactivity of TSH. Human TRHR defects are extremely rare, and only three cases are known with central hypothyroidism and short stature as variable presenting feature.Objective and hypotheses: Phenotypical characterization of a family with suspected central hypothyroidism and inv...

Background: Most congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients carry mutations derived from conversion events involving the pseudogene, and the remaining carry new mutations varying according to ethnicity. A good genotype-phenotype correlation is observed, allowing the use of molecular analysis in clinical practice.Objective and hypotheses: To review the molecular diagnosis in a large cohort of CAH patients in order to create a diagnostic panel in our po...

Objectives: -To determine children diagnosed with central congenital hypothyroidism (CCH) by a screening program using TSH and total T4 between May 2016 and January 2019.-To analyze the characteristics of the disease in these children.Material and Methods: During the time of the study, 14.743 newborns have been screened. Cut-off points are used for TSH ≥10MU/ml and T4 6 and 20 mg/dl as lower ...

Background: Decreased serum adiponectin levels are associated with obesity and peripheral insulin resistance (IR). PCOS is characterized by hyperandrogenism and chronic anovulation and frequently is associated to IR. Some defects of Insulin Receptor have been proposed as mechanisms to explain ovarian hyperandrogenism in PCOS.Objectives: To explore adiponectin levels in adolescents with PCOS and to evaluate if adiponectin would identify potential patients...

Background: Craniopharyngioma is a non-malignant embryonic tumour in the pituitary-hypothalamic area, associated with hypothalamic obesity. Dysfunctional parasympathetic nervous system activity has been proposed as one mechanism underlying alterations in energy metabolism. Arterial spin labelling (ASL) is a non-invasive MRI technique that quantifies brain tissue perfusion as a proxy for functional activity. Here, we measure cerebral perfusion in patients with ...

Background: Fetal skeletal bone development and mineralisation depends on placental calcium transfer. Although Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) pathway has some contribution, TRPV6 (the sixth member of the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid family) is a recently identified receptor involved in calcium transport and is predominantly expressed in the placenta. It has not previously been linked with skeletal development disorders.Case: This infant had...

Background: Pubertal gynaecomastia is thought to be a clinical sign of an oestrogen-androgen imbalance, affecting up to 60% of boys. In most cases no underlying endocrinopathy can be identified. In boys, Anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced by immature Sertoli cells and circulating level decreases as testosterone increases during pubertal maturation. In a previous cross sectional study we found significant lower levels of AMH in boys with pubertal gynaecomastia (Mieri...