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Background: Most girls with Turner syndrome (TS) require pubertal induction with estrogen, followed by long term replacement. However, no adequately powered prospective studies comparing transdermal with oral 17β-estradiol administration exist. This reflects the difficulty of securing funding to study a rare condition with relatively low morbidity/mortality when competing against conditions such as cancer and vascular disease. Protocol Consensus: The TS Working Group of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) has agreed to both a 3-year oral and a 3-year transdermal regimen for pubertal induction. Prerequisites include suitable 17β-estradiol tablets and matrix patches to allow the delivery of incremental doses based on body weight. Study Proposal: An international prospective cohort study with single centre analysis is proposed in which clinicians and families are invited to choose either of the agreed regimens, usually starting at 11 years. We hypothesise that pubertal induction with transdermal estradiol will result in better outcomes for some key parameters. The primary outcome measure chosen is height gain during the induction period. Analysis: Assessment of the demographics and drop-out rates of patients choosing either oral or transdermal preparations; and appropriate analysis of outcomes including pubertal height gain, final height, liver enzyme and lipid profile, adherence/acceptability, cardiovascular health, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure and aortic root diameter and bone health. Conclusion: The proposed model of prospective data collection according to internationally agreed protocols aims to break the current impasse in obtaining evidence-based management for TS and could be applied to other rare paediatric endocrine conditions.

Objective: Transdermal estradiol patches are primarily designed for adult women. No low-dose patches are licensed for pubertal induction in hypogonadal girls. Low doses can be achieved by cutting a matrix patch into smaller pieces. However, the manufacturers do not guarantee stability or utility of cut estradiol patches. The aim of the study was to assess 1-month stability of cut estradiol patches from four different manufacturers in the laboratory at room temperature (+21 degrees C) and at an elevated temperature (+35 degrees C). Design and methods: Estraderm MX 50 mu g, Systen 50 mu g and Oesclim 25 mu g matrix patches were cut into eight pieces while Estradot 50 mu g small patches were cut in half. The cut patches were stored in their respective pouches at +21 degrees C or at +35 degrees C for up to 1 month. The estradiol drug was extracted from the patch by ethyl acetate n-hexane and determined by radioimmunoassay. Results: Storage at +21 degrees C or +35 degrees C up to 1 month did not reduce the estradiol concentration in Estraderm MX, Systen and Oesclim patches. However, although the estradiol in Estradot patches was not affected by storage at +21 degrees C, at +35 degrees C, estradiol decreased by 57% (+/- 1%) in cut pieces. Conclusions: Unused Estraderm MX, Systen and Oesclim patch pieces may be stored for at least 1 month at <=+35 degrees C. Where estradiol patches for children are not available, cut pieces of these or similar patches can be used for pubertal induction. The Estradot patch was too small to properly cut into low doses and not stable in elevated temperatures.

Supplement: 1Meeting Abstract: P1-P239

Background: Intrauterine growth retardation and short stature are common features in Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS). Despite recombinant growth hormone (rGH) treatment, poor pubertal height gain, affecting adult height (AH), is common. This study investigated whether growth patterns and estrogen concentrations are associated with AH outcome in rGH treated SRS males. Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal single-center study, 11 males with SRS were classified as non-responders (NR = 6) or responders (R = 5), depending on AH adjusted for midparental height. Epigenetic analysis and longitudinal growth measures, including bone age, rGH related parameters, pubertal development, gonadotropins and estrogen concentrations, were analyzed until AH. Results: Pubarche before 9 years was only observed in one NR. At 10 years of age, there was no difference in gonadotropins between NR and R. However, estradiol (E2) concentrations at 10 years of age showed a strong association to AH adjusted for MPH (r = -0.78, p amp;lt; 0.001). Serum E2 (pmol/L) was significantly higher in NR at ages 10 years [median (range) 2 (amp;lt;2-5) vs. amp;lt;2 (amp;lt;2)], 12 years [23 (10-57) vs. 2 (amp;lt;2-2)] and 14 years [77 (54-87) vs. 24 (amp;lt;2-38)] but not at 16 years. Birth weight standard deviation score (SDS) was lower in NR [-4.1 (-4.7 to -2.1) vs. -2.7 (-3.3 to -1.7)]. Weight gain (SDS) until pubertal onset was greater in NR [2.4 (1.4-3.5) vs. 0.8 (-0.4 to 1.7)] and pubertal height gain (SDS) was lower in NR [-1.0 (-2.7-0.4) vs. 0.1 (-0.1 to 1.1)]. At AH, a number of NR and R had high E2 concentrations and small testes. Conclusion: Increased E2 concentrations at age 10, 12, and 14 years were associated to less pubertal height gain, thus affecting AH. Due to the small number of patients, the results need to be confirmed in larger cohorts. The finding of impaired testicular development stresses the need of hormonal evaluation as a complement to clinical and radiological assessment when p, Funding Agencies|Futurum - the Academy for Health and Care, Region Jonkoping County [FUTURUM-575601, FUTURUM-765281, FUTURUM-578061, FUTURUM-709351]; Pfizer [WI 182827]; IngaBritt and Arne Lundberg Research Foundation [2015-103]; Swedish government [ALFGBG-507931]; county councils, the ALF [ALFGBG-507931]

Background/Aims: Growth Hormone (GH) dosage in childhood is adjusted for body size, but there is no consensus whether body weight (BW) or body surface area (BSA) should be used. We aimed at comparing the biological effect and cost-effectiveness of GH treatment dosed per m(2) BSA in comparison with dosing per kg BW in girls with Turner syndrome (TS). Methods: Serum IGF-I, GH dose, and adult height gain (AHG) from girls participating in two Dutch and five Swedish studies on the efficacy of GH were analyzed, and the cumulative GH dose and costs were calculated for both dose adjustment methods. Additional medication included estrogens (if no spontaneous puberty occurred) and oxandrolone in some studies. Results: At each GH dose, the serum IGF-I standard deviation score remained stable over time after an initial increase after the start of treatment. On a high dose (at 1 m(2) equivalent to 0.056-0.067 mg/kg/day), AHG was at least equal on GH dosed per m(2) BSA compared with dosing per kg BW. The cumulative dose and cost were significantly lower if the GH dose was adjusted for m(2) BSA. Conclusion: Dosing GH per m(2) BSA is at least as efficacious as dosing per kg BW, and is more cost-effective. (C) 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Background/Aim: The goal of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in girls with hypogonadism is to achieve the endocrine milieu similar to natural puberty, where transdermal administration is the most physiological route. The aim of the study was to evaluate guidelines for the induction of puberty with transdermal estradiol (E-2) patches in a large outpatient setting. Methods: In a retrospective study, serum E-2 levels from 18 clinics were analyzed at the Goteborg Pediatric Growth Research Center laboratory, as part of the initiation of ERT in girls with hypogonadism. Exclusion criteria were pubertas tarda and pubertal arrest. Eighty-eight observations (50 with Turner syndrome, TS) were included. Serum E-2 levels were determined by extraction + radioimmunoassay (detection limit 4 pmol/l) and analyzed in relation to the dose of Evorel (R) (25 mu g/24 h, containing 1.60 mg estradiol hemihydrate; Janssen-Cilag Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium). Results: There was a linear relationship between serum E-2 and the weight-based dose, with r = 0.56, p < 0.0001 for all observations and r = 0.59, p < 0.0001 for the TS study group. Linear regression analysis for doses of 0.05-0.07 mu g/kg resulted in serum levels of 17-23 pmol/l (TS 17-24 pmol/l) and doses of 0.08-0.12 mu g/kg in 26-39 pmol/l (TS 27-39 pmol/l). Conclusions: For the initiation of ERT with nocturnally administered E-2 patches, we recommend reduced starting doses of 0.05-0.07 mu g/kg, with the goal of mimicking E-2 levels during gonadarche. In older girls, when breast development is of high priority, the starting dose can still be 0.08-0.12 mu g/kg. (C) 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Equalis och Svensk Förening för Klinisk Kemi (SFKK) rekommenderar att de kliniska laboratorierna i Sverige använder enhetliga måttenheter vid hormonbestämningar för ökad jämförbarhet och patientsäkerhet. Vid analys i serum eller plasma med nuvarande metoder rekommenderas följande enheter: • Adrenokortikotropt hormon (ACTH): pmol/L • Insulin: mIE/L • Parathormon (PTH): pmol/L • Prolaktin: mIE/L • Tillväxthormon (GH): μg/L • Östradiol: pmol/L • Aldosteron: pmol/L • Reninkoncentration: mIE/L

Aim: To study the influence of growth hormone (GH) treatment on the initiation and progression of puberty in short children. Methods: This prospective, randomized, controlled study included 124 short children (33 girls) who received GH treatment (Genotropin (R); Pfizer Inc.) from a mean age of 11 years until near adult height [intent-to-treat (ITT) population]. Children were randomized into three groups: controls (n = 33), GH 33 mu g/kg/day (n = 34) or GH 67 mu g/kg/day (n = 57). Prepubertal children at study start constituted the per-protocol (PP) population (n = 101). Auxological measurements were made and puberty was staged every 3 months. Serum sex-steroid concentrations were assessed every 6 months. Results: No significant differences were found between the groups, of both PP and ITT populations, in time elapsed from start of treatment until either onset of puberty, age at start of puberty or age at final pubertal maturation in either sex. In the ITT population, pubertal duration was significantly longer in GH-treated girls, and maximum mean testicular volume was significantly greater in GH-treated boys than controls, but there were no differences in testosterone levels between the groups. Conclusion: GH treatment did not influence age at onset of puberty and did not accelerate pubertal development. In boys, GH treatment appeared to increase testicular volume.