ESPE Abstracts

Background: Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) might suffer from hyperandrogenism. For diagnosing and treatment monitoring, usually levels of androstenedione (A4) and testosterone (T) are measured in blood. More recently, adrenal-specific 11-oxygenated androgens such as 11- hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4), 11-ketoandrostenedione (11KA4), 11-hydroxytestosterone (11OHT), and 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) were introduced as promising biomarkers, but ...

Background: Counselling adolescents with chronic diseases can be challenging when it comes to appropriate interview techniques and the doctor's attitude towards the patient. Successful communication can be a key element of treatment. Motivational interviewing (MI) is widely applicable in the management of behavioural problems and illnesses, as it increases patients' motivation for lifestyle changes. This plays a particularly important role in the tre...

Objective: The Easypod Connect Observational Study (ECOS) is a prospective long-term observational study aimed at evaluating the level of adherence in patients receiving growth hormone via the easypod device. ECOS started in 2010 in 24 countries. The easypod auto-injector device enables accurate records of patients’ adherence to recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) to be collected, providing real-world data for evaluation. We present three years prospective adherence ...

Introduction: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is a biochemical condition characterized by serum levels of TSH above the reference range upper limit (4,5μUI/mL), with normal concentrations of thyroid hormones. In cases of non-autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism (NASHT), genetic defects have been described and can determine disorders in the biosynthesis process of thyroid hormones, such as heterozygous mutations in the TSH receptor gene (TSHR) and ...

Background: The definition of Cushing disease (CD) is hypercortisolism caused by excess adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion by a pituitary corticotrope adenoma. It is extremely rare in the pediatric population and requires rapid diagnosis and early management.Case presentation: A 14-year old boy was hospitalized because of sudden onset of chest pain, loss of consciousness, elevated cardio-specific enzymes, and s...

Background: MKRN3 gene, encoding Makorin RING-finger protein 3, is a maternally imprinted gene located at a Prader-Willi syndrome region on chromosome 15q11.13. Deleterious mutations of MKRN3 gene are a common cause of paternally inherited central precocious puberty (CPP), being identified in 33-46% of familial cases and in about 5% and 40% of apparently sporadic female and male cases, respectively.Objectives: To evaluate the presence o...

Background: Bone involvement is described as a relevant sign in patients suffering Gaucher disease (GD).Objective and hypotheses: To analyze the long-term effect of enzyme replacement therapy on bone mineral density, a retrospective observational study was conducted in a cohort of 34 GD pediatric patients (14 males, 20 females, median age 11.3 years).Method: Lumbar spine (LS) (L2–L4, N: 34) and total body (TB) (N: 24) bone min...

Background: In vitro studies suggest a broader role for aldosterone, beyond elevating blood pressure. Clinical data support the notion that aldosterone can directly alter the function of the immune system and can participate in low-grade inflammation which leads to blood pressure elevation and end organ damage.Objective and hypothesis: To assess in humans, whether aldosterone plasma levels and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) expression associate...

Background: Paediatric hypertension is increasing and has been associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Recently, cortisol:cortisone ratio and the metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), which is a marker of vascular remodelling, have been syndicated as new risk factors associated with hypertension.Objective and hypotheses: To analyse the association between paediatric hypertension with clinical, biochemical, inflammation, and vascular remodelling biomarkers<...

Introduction: The major genetic cause of CPP is the paternally inherited Makorin RING-finger protein 3 (MKRN3) deficiency. Rare patients carry variants in kisspeptin and its receptor and DLK1.Objectives: To identify genetic causes of CPP.Population and methods: MKRN3 Sanger sequencing was performed in 56 unrelated subjects (12 familial non-maternal, 44 sporadic (6 boys)), whole-ge...