ESPE Abstracts

Background: Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterized by a switch in early childhood from failure to thrive to excessive weight gain and hyperphagia with impaired satiety. The underlying mechanism for this switch may involve hyperghrelinemia, but only poor data exists regarding levels of acylated ghrelin (AG), unacylated ghrelin (UAG), and the AG/UAG ratio in PWS.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate plasma levels of AG and UAG in PWS, compare...

Background: Central hypothyroidism (CeH) is a rare thyroid hormone deficiency due to an insufficient stimulation of a normal thyroid gland. Candidate genes for isolated CeH include TSHβ, TRH receptor (TRHR) or IGSF1 genes while the combined pituitary hormone deficits (CPHDs) are the consequence of defects in embryonic pituitary transcription factors or in the prokineticin receptor 2 (PROKR2).Patients series: Here we report nine males (M) and 15 fema...

Objective: To describe clinical, laboratory and genetic characteristics of 42 short children from 34 consanguineous Turkish families.Design: Descriptive case series.Methods: After collecting clinical information, DNA samples were analysed in three European laboratories. In 18 children (12 families) suspected of a genetic defect in the growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor ...

Introduction: The mechanisms underlying short stature in Noonan Syndrome (NS) are poorly understood and may include inadequate GH secretion or action, decreased IGF-1 production, growth plate dysfunction, or other factors. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the function of the GH-IGF-1 axis in NS.Method: We took all patients with genetically proven Noonan syndrome among 1001 children and adolescents curren...

Objective: Hysterosalpingography (HSG) to assess patency of the Fallopian tubes with the use of iodinated (oil- or water-based) contrast media is a standard test during fertility work-up. An observational study found an increased risk of congenital hypothyroidism in neonates whose mothers were exposed to high amounts of oil-based contrast during HSG. Oil-based contrast contains more iodine (480mg Iodine/ml) than water-based contrast (250mg Iodine/ml). We inves...

Objectives: Data on the role of gluten in type 1 diabetes (T1D) pathogenesis are scarce. We aimed to test whether gluten-free diet (GFD) can decelerate the decline in beta-cell capacity in newly diagnosed non-coeliac T1D children.Methods: Forty six children (aged 10.2±3.3 years) were recruited into this non-randomized self-selected intervention trial: 26 started with GFD, whereas 20 remained on standard diet. Main o...

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: Congenital central hypothyroidism (CeH) may occur isolated, or in combination with other pituitary hormone deficiencies. Although a third causative gene for CeH was recently reported (IGSF1), the aetiology of isolated CeH has remained unexplained in most cases.Objective and hypotheses: We hypothesized that in three relatives with unexplained isolated CeH a mutation in another gene might be responsible for the phenotype.<p class="...

Background: Heterozygous mutations in the Aggrecan gene (ACAN) cause autosomal dominant short stature with bone age (BA) acceleration, and premature growth cessation.Objective and methods: To characterize the phenotypic spectrum, associated conditions and describe response to growth-promoting therapies, detailed clinical evaluation of 73 mutation positive individuals from 16 families different families with heterozygous ACAN mutations was perfor...

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...