ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Prohormone convertase (PC) is a calcium-dependent serine endoprotease. PC 1/3 is responsible for converting hormones and neuropeptitids which has role on energy homeostasis, food intake,glucose metabolism (a-MSH, CART, NPY, AgRP, Orexin, Hypocretin, Ghrelin, insulin, cholecystokinin, GLP-1, GHRH, GnRH, ACTH, TRH) from proforms to active form. PC 1/3 deficiency’s clinical signs are diarrhea that started in the newborn period, obesity, hypoglycemia, multiple ...

Background: Hypospadias in boys may be associated with a lack of androgen exposure during the masculinisation programming window. As testosterone has effects on the vasculature, we assessed whether boys with hypospadias show any evidence of vascular dysfunction.Methods: Excess foreskin tissue was obtained from boys undergoing hypospadias repair (cases) or circumcision (controls) and small arteries dissected from this tissue. Vascular contractility was as...

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 Greece, more than 30–35% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the effectiveness of a comprehensive and personalized multidisciplinary management plan in reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhoo...

Background: Homozygous natriuretic peptide receptor-2 (NPR2) mutations cause acromesomelic dysplasia, type Maroteaux, a skeletal dysplasia with extreme disproportionate short stature and recently, heterozygous NPR2 mutations have been identified also in patients with idiopathic short stature (ISS, 2–6%). SHOX mutations are found in ~2–5% of ISS cases and ~70% of Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD) cases, characterized by disproportionat...

Background: Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is frequent in adrenocortical tumors (ACTs). This pathway and DAX1, a negative regulator of SF1 expression, control adrenal stem/progenitor cells, which can be involved in ACTs formation.Objective: To analyse the association between the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the expression of a stem cell marker (NANOG), STAT3, DAX1 and SF1 in ACTs.Methods: Patients:...

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) arises from mutations in CYP21A2 gene, which encodes for the steroidogenic enzyme 21-hydroxylase. Currently employed chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis provide genetic results at ~14 weeks of gestation at the earliest. At this time, the genitalia of the affected female foetuses have already become virilized. To prevent genital ambiguity, prenatal treatment with dexamethasone must begin on or before gestational ...

Background: Congenital diabetes insipidus (DI) can be due to mutations in the arginine vasopressin (AVP) gene (familial neurohypophyseal DI), the AVP receptor type 2 (AVPR2) or aquaporin 2 (AQP2) genes (congenital nephrogenic DI, NDI). The clinical manifestation of congenital NDI, especially the response to AVP, can vary greatly depending on the functional effect of the AVPR2 mutation. Here we present two male siblings with NDI and partial response to ddAVP.<p class="abste...

Background: FOP is an ultra-rare, severely disabling genetic disorder characterised by progressive heterotopic ossification (HO) following flare-ups. The median age at diagnosis is 5 years, and patients are managed by multiple specialties. No study to date has provided a longitudinal evaluation of FOP. Final data are presented for participants, aged <25 years, enrolled in the first 36-month, prospective, global natural history study of FOP (NCT02322255).</...

Background: Combinations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) have been successful in treating males with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of corifollitropin alfa (CFA), a long-acting FSH analog, combined with hCG to induce testicular growth and pubertal development in adolescent males with HH.Methods: This was a 6...

Introduction: Improvements in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have increased survival, with the consequent concern about the long-term effects that childhood chemotherapy may have on ovarian function. AMH constitutes an indirect, reliable biomarker of the ovarian reserve, useful for the assessment of cancer therapy-related ovarian damage.Aim: To evaluate small ovarian f...