ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: The most common cause of elevated TSH is iodine deficiency, and other common causes are drug use, systemic diseases, and underlying genetic conditions.Objective: We aimed to investigate molecular genetic etiology, genotype-phenotype relationships and the follow-up data in cases with elevated TSH initiated on L-thyroxine treatmentMethods: We retrospectively evaluated c...

Background: Maternal overweight/obesity during pregnancy and excessive gestational weight gain (GWtG) have been recognized as important early-life risk factors for childhood obesity. We aimed to examine whether maternal BMI at 20 weeks of gestation and excessive GWtG were associated with alterations in body composition and metabolism in childhood in the offspring of primiparous mothers who participated in a randomised controlled trial of exercise regimen during pregnancy.<...

Background: Dyshormonogenic hypothyroidism is classically a monogenic disease with recessive inheritance. Thyroid dysgenesis showed a multigenic origin in a mouse model of double-heterozygous deletions of Nkx2.1/Pax8 transcription factor genes, suggesting a possible polygenic nature of certain cases of human hypothyroidism.Objective and Hypotheses: To investigate genetic traits of polygenic involvement in dyshormonogenic hypothyroidism,...

Background: SGPL1 deficiency is associated with a pathological accumulation of sphingolipid intermediates and a multi-systemic condition incorporating primary adrenal insufficiency. Sphingolipid intermediates such as ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine 1-phosphate are postulated to act as modulators of the steroidogenic pathway, often acting as second messengers altering downstream expression of steroid responsive transcriptional elements. Ceramide and sphin...

Background: FPLD2 results from autosomal dominant mutations in the LMNA gene. The physical appearance develops through adolescence where subcutaneous fat deposits of the limbs, trunk, buttocks and legs do not develop resulting in a muscular appearance. The metabolic phenotype includes elevations in triglyceride concentrations and hepatosteatosis with resultant insulin resistance. Co-morbidities that may manifest during young adulthood include early-onset diabe...

Background: The goal of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) treatment is rapid normalization and maintenance of TSH and FT4 in the reference range. Recommended starting dose of levothyroxine (LT4) ranges from 10-15 mg/kg/d. Hyperthyroxinemia can be accepted in the context of normal TSH and LT4 should only be reduced in case of symptoms or repeatedly increased FT4. The aim of this study was to quantify duration and maximum peak of FT4 levels outside the reference range for each CH s...

Background: SOX2 is an early developmental transcription factor implicated in pituitary development; heterozygous SOX2 mutations have been reported in patients with a severe ocular phenotype and hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HH) with/without associated abnormalities. SOX2 physically interacts with β-catenin, a member of the Wnt-signalling pathway, via its carboxyl-terminus and it represses in vitroβ-catenin mediated activation.<p class="abstex...

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is a biochemical condition defined by increased TSH serum concentration above the upper limit of the reference range associated with normal concentrations of T4 and Free T4. Depending on the degree of TSH elevation SH can be defined mild for TSH values between 4.5-10 mIU/l and severe for TSH levels >10 mIU/l.The major cause of SH is chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, other causes are persistent neonatal hyperthyrotropinem...

Background: Growth during infancy is a continuation of the rapid fetal growth and its regulation is complex and multifactorial. It is well-established that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and its regulators (e.g. IGF binding proteins (IGFBP-3) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A2 (PAPP-A2)) are important for prenatal and postnatal growth; however, their significance for growth during infancy is not fully explored.Aims: The aim...

Craniopharyngiomas (CP) are rare, partly cystic and calcified embryonic malformations of the sellar/parasellar region with low histological grade (WHO Io). A bimodal age distribution has been shown, with peak incidence rates in childhood-onset at 5–14 yr and adult-onset CP at 50–74 yr. Clinical manifestations are related to hypothalamic/pituitary deficiencies, visual impairment, and increased intracranial pressure. Recent insight in molecular pathogenesis of CP opens...