ESPE Abstracts

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a key component of the body's defence against cold challenge and possesses the ability to convert large amounts of chemical energy to heat, conferred by a unique protein, uncoupling protein (UCP)-1, diverting mitochondrial respiration from the production of adenosine triphosphate. In humans, the largest BAT depot is in the supraclavicular region. Sympathetic nervous system stimulation induces glucose uptake into brown adipose tissue, as does i...

Background: Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), due to loss of paternal gene expression on chromosome 15q11.2-13, is characterized by hypotonia, hypothalamic-pituitary dysregulation, abnormal respiratory drive, and hyperphagia. GH, often started in infancy, improves tone, body composition, and height. Concerns about sudden death in children with PWS started on GH, hypothesized secondary to worsening obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) from adenotonsillar hypertrophy, resulted in guidelines...

Background: Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid closely related to the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) considered as the major source of energy during prolonged exercise. During fasting, when the liver switches to fatty acid oxidation, a rise in serum GH occurs concomitantly with the accumulation of BHB and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) acetate, propionate and butyrate. Interactions between GH, ketone body and SCFA during the metabolic adaptation to fasting are poor...

Introduction: Thyroid dysfunction may cause a wide range of neurological disorders in children. Hypothyroidism is associated with peripheral nerve demyelination. However, minimal data are available in pediatric population.Purpose: To describe a case of newly diagnosed Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) suffering acute-onset rapidly progressive peripheral polyneuropathy.Case Report: A 12-ye...

Introduction: Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1 (APS-1) is a rare autosomal recessive hereditary disorder resulting from a mutation in the AIRE gene. APS-1 is characterized by three classic clinical features: hypoparathyroidism, Addison’s disease and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Additionally to the classic triad, the phenotype of APS-1 includes several endocrine and non-endocrine autoimmune manifestations. Purpose:Topresent a rapid onset and progression of ch...

Background: The parallel increase in prevalence of asthma and obesity in childhood has led to an increasing body of evidence about a possible link between the two conditions.Objective and hypotheses: To assess the prevalence of asthma symptoms in a representative sample of Greek schoolchildren and to evaluate its association with overweight/obesity as well as other socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle factors.Method: This is a ...

Gender dysphoria indicates a psychological distress due to any incongruence between biological sex and gender identity, while transgender identity refers to an individual, whose gender identity is the opposite of the biological sex. The number of gender dysphoric youth seeking hormonal care seems to rise worldwide. Therefore, numerous bioethical and medical controversies are raising about possible side effects of hormonal therapies, including interference with brain developmen...

Background: The peptide hormone adrenocorticotropin (ACTH or Corticotropin) is a major component of the stress response system in the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. Under stress, it is secreted from the anterior pituitary and stimulates cortisol production from the adrenal cortex. Changes in ACTH production or action are associated with multiple disease conditions. In clinical situations like Cushing's disease, ectopic ACTH syndrome and congeni...

Background: Virilization at puberty in girls remains a challenge. Several differential diagnoses must be considered including disorders of sex development (DSD) and tumors.Case Report: We report an 11.5-year-old girl who was referred to our center for progressive cliteromegaly since 6 months. Past medical history was remarkable for prematurity of 36 weeks gestation and for mild ongoing psychomotor delay. At presentation ...

Background: At present, treatment of „classic" congenital adrenal hyperplasia (21-hydroxylase-deficiency, 21OHD) consists of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement. However, often androgen excess and its negative metabolic impact are difficult to control without accepting glucocorticoid overtreatment, especially in adolescence. In healthy subjects oral contraceptives (containing ethinylestradiol) increase cortisol binding capacity and free c...