Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Severe primary IGF1 deficiency (SPIGFD) is defined in children as a height less than −3sds, low IGF1 levels with normal growth hormone levels. Recombinant IGF1 (rhIGF1, Mecasermin) given twice daily as a subcutaneous injection is the only therapy available to improve the height potential in this group of children. However it may have important side effects including hypoglycaemia, growth of lymphoid tissue and injection site lipohypertrophy.<p class="abst...

Objectives: Patients with homozygous 6Ψ mutations have GH insensitivity (GHI). We previously described spectrum of clinical and biochemical phenotypes of 11 6Ψ patients (David et al. JCEM 2007;92:655) and now report 9 additional patients. Response to rhIGF-I therapy has not previously been assessed.Methods: 20 6Ψ patients (12 M, 11 families, mean age 4.0±2.2 year) were diagnosed genetically in our centre. Continuous ...

Objectives: The homozygous GHR pseudoexon (6Ψ) mutation leads to aberrant splicing of the GHR gene with clinical and biochemical heterogeneity. We investigated whether the phenotypic variability could be explained by transcript heterogeneity i.e. ratio of abnormal (6Ψ GHR) to normal (WT GHR) transcripts and/or the presence of concurrent defects in other short stature (SS) genes.Methods: 6 Ψ GHR ...

Background: Acid-labile subunit (ALS) deficiency inhibits ternary complex formation leading to primary IGF1 deficiency and short stature. Potential metabolic consequences such as diabetes and low bone mass are not well studied.Objective: This study measured insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, bone density and structure in members of 4 affected families and explore possible gene-dose effects.Methods: Four patients (7–21 years) ...

Inherited growth hormone insensitivity (GHI) is usually caused by mutations in the GH receptor (GHR). Patients present with short stature associated with a mid-facial hypoplasia (Laron facial features) or with normal facial appearance. We previously described an intronic mutation in the GHR gene (A−1 to G−1 substitution in intron 6) resulting in the activation of a pseudoexon (6Ψ) in four related GHI patients with normal facial fea...

Introduction: Our Centre receives international referrals for genetic analysis of children with short stature (SS) and features of GH/IGF-1 insensitivity. Copy number variation (CNV) hasn’t previously been investigated in GH/IGF-1 insensitivity. We hypothesised CNVs contribute to the phenotype in our undiagnosed cohort.Experimental design/methodology: CGH was performed with oligonucleotide array using ~60,000 probes in 60 patients (38 M, mean age 7....