Current Advances and Perspectives in Clinical Paediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Research

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Endocrinology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 October 2023) | Viewed by 11713

Special Issue Editor

University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, and UNESCO Chair, Adolescent Health Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
Interests: clinical medicine; paediatric endocrinology; paediatric diabetes; metabolic medicine; exercise endocrinology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that we invite you on behalf of Children to submit your research, reviews, and case reports in this Special Issue entitled “Current Advances and Perspectives in Clinical Paediatric Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes”. The field of paediatric endocrinology is expanding; nevertheless, the goal of advancing clinical excellence in paediatric endocrinology, metabolism, and diabetes by promoting research, education, and training in clinical practice remains valid and benefits child and adolescent health worldwide. Particularly in recent years, expanding laboratory advances and endocrine genetics have shown a shift of focus from primary clinical diagnosis, while at the same time, the spectrum of conditions that are managed by specialists in the field has expanded to include paediatric endocrinology (including, among others, disorders of growth, pubertal development, sex development, gender incongruence, thyroid function, adrenal function, pituitary development, calcium and bone metabolism, and endocrine tumours), paediatric diabetes (including type 1 diabetes with the expanding technological advances, and the complications associated with diagnosis and long-standing disease, secondary and genetic forms of diabetes, pre-diabetes, and type 2 diabetes), obesity, and the respective metabolic complications and co-morbidities, as well as managing aspects of the transition to adult care. The aim of this Special Issue is to showcase the importance of focusing research (primary and translational) and training on the clinical aspects of the field of paediatric endocrinology.

Dr. George Paltoglou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • paediatric endocrinology
  • paediatric diabetes
  • paediatric metabolism
  • paediatric obesity
  • disorders of growth
  • disorders of puberty
  • disorders of sex development
  • disorders of bone metabolism
  • endocrine genetics
  • endocrine tumours

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

22 pages, 520 KiB  
Article
Secondary Prevention of Diabetes Type 1 with Oral Calcitriol and Analogs, the PRECAL Study
by Dimitrios T. Papadimitriou, Eleni Dermitzaki, Panagiotis Christopoulos, Maria Papagianni, Kleanthis Kleanthous, Chrysanthi Marakaki, Anastasios Papadimitriou and George Mastorakos
Children 2023, 10(5), 862; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050862 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4741
Abstract
Screening for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D, incidence 1:300) with T1D autoantibodies (T1Ab) at ages 2 and 6, while sensitive, lacks a preventive strategy. Cholecalciferol 2000 IU daily since birth reduced T1D by 80% at 1 year. T1D-associated T1Ab negativized within 0.6 years with [...] Read more.
Screening for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D, incidence 1:300) with T1D autoantibodies (T1Ab) at ages 2 and 6, while sensitive, lacks a preventive strategy. Cholecalciferol 2000 IU daily since birth reduced T1D by 80% at 1 year. T1D-associated T1Ab negativized within 0.6 years with oral calcitriol in 12 children. To further investigate secondary prevention of T1D with calcitriol and its less calcemic analog, paricalcitol, we initiated a prospective interventional non-randomized clinical trial, the PRECAL study (ISRCTN17354692). In total, 50 high-risk children were included: 44 were positive for T1Ab, and 6 had predisposing for T1D HLA genotypes. Nine T1Ab+ patients had variable impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), four had pre-T1D (3 T1Ab+, 1 HLA+), nine had T1Ab+ new-onset T1D not requiring insulin at diagnosis. T1Ab, thyroid/anti-transglutaminase Abs, glucose/calcium metabolism were determined prior and q3–6 months on calcitriol, 0.05 mcg/Kg/day, or paricalcitol 1–4 mcg × 1–3 times/day p.o. while on cholecalciferol repletion. Available data on 42 (7 dropouts, 1 follow-up < 3 months) patients included: all 26 without pre-T1D/T1D followed for 3.06 (0.5–10) years negativized T1Ab (15 +IAA, 3 IA2, 4 ICA, 2 +GAD, 1 +IAA/+GAD, 1 +ICA/+GAD) within 0.57 (0.32–1.3) years or did not develop to T1D (5 +HLA, follow-up 3 (1–4) years). From four pre-T1D cases, one negativized T1Ab (follow-up 1 year), one +HLA did not progress to T1D (follow-up 3.3 years) and two +T1Ab patients developed T1D in 6 months/3 years. Three out of nine T1D cases progressed immediately to overt disease, six underwent complete remission for 1 year (1 month–2 years). Five +T1Ab patients relapsed and negativized again after resuming therapy. Four (aged <3 years) negativized anti-TPO/TG, and two anti-transglutaminase-IgA. Eight presented mild hypercalciuria/hypercalcemia, resolving with dose titration/discontinuation. Secondary prevention of T1D with calcitriol and paricalcitol seems possible and reasonably safe, if started soon enough after seroconversion. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 910 KiB  
Article
The Role of Exercise on Cardiometabolic Profile and Body Composition in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes
by Maria Kaza, Charalampos Tsentidis, Elpis Vlachopapadopoulou, Spyridon Karanasios, Irine-Ikbale Sakou, George Mastorakos and Kyriaki Karavanaki
Children 2022, 9(12), 1840; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9121840 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1337
Abstract
Exercise has a direct positive effect on glycemic control by promoting insulin secretion from β-pancreatic islet-cells and by increasing skeletal muscle glucose uptake. The reduction in daily insulin needs and the optimization of glycemic control improves the patient’s quality of life, self-esteem, mental [...] Read more.
Exercise has a direct positive effect on glycemic control by promoting insulin secretion from β-pancreatic islet-cells and by increasing skeletal muscle glucose uptake. The reduction in daily insulin needs and the optimization of glycemic control improves the patient’s quality of life, self-esteem, mental wellness, as well as diabetes-related mobility and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity in children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes (T1D) on diabetic control, cardiovascular, and biochemical profiles; hs-CRP; IL6; leptin; and adiponectin levels of the population under study. This is a prospective cross-sectional study that involved 80 participants (36 boys and 44 girls) with T1D, who were aged 6–21 years and who attended the Diabetes and Metabolism Clinic of the 2nd Pediatric Department, University of Athens, “P & A Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital of Athens. Twenty (25%) children were above the 75th percentile regarding total levels of physical activity, while 40 (50%) and 20 (25%) were between the 25th and 75th percentile, as well as below the 25th percentile, respectively. In the group with an intermediate level of exercise, physical activity was negatively associated with the participant’s family situation (traditional, single parent, grandparent, with others, or by himself/herself) (p = 0.013), ferritin (p = 0.031), lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] (p = 0.016), and squared leptin levels (p = 0.040). Whereas in the groups with extreme vs. no exercise there was a negative association with the number of daily glucose measurements (p = 0.047). However, in the group with non-vigorous exercise, physical activity was positively associated with high density lipoprotein-c (HDL-c) levels (p = 0.048). The findings of this study are indicative of the beneficial role of exercise on children and adolescents with T1D, which is achieved by primarily improving their cardiometabolic profile through the amelioration of lipid profile [HDL-c, Lp(a)] and leptin levels, as well as by reducing chronic systemic inflammatory response (ferritin) and ultimately decreasing the overall diabetes morbidity. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

16 pages, 813 KiB  
Review
Lifestyle and Pharmacological Interventions and Treatment Indications for the Management of Obesity in Children and Adolescents
by Despina Herouvi, George Paltoglou, Alexandra Soldatou, Christina Kalpia, Spyridon Karanasios and Kyriaki Karavanaki
Children 2023, 10(7), 1230; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071230 - 17 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2541
Abstract
Obesity is a multifactorial chronic impairment that further decreases quality of life and life expectancy. Worldwide, childhood obesity has become a pandemic health issue causing several comorbidities that frequently present already in childhood, including cardiovascular (hypertension, dyslipidemia), metabolic (Type 2 diabetes mellitus, fatty [...] Read more.
Obesity is a multifactorial chronic impairment that further decreases quality of life and life expectancy. Worldwide, childhood obesity has become a pandemic health issue causing several comorbidities that frequently present already in childhood, including cardiovascular (hypertension, dyslipidemia), metabolic (Type 2 diabetes mellitus, fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome), respiratory, gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, obese children frequently experience stress and psychosocial symptoms, including mood disorders, anxiety, prejudice and low self-esteem. Given that cardiovascular risk factors and pediatric obesity have the tendency to pertain into adulthood, obesity management, including weight control and physical activity, should start before the late teens and certainly before the first signs of atherosclerosis can be detected. This review aims to concisely present options for childhood obesity management, including lifestyle modification strategies and pharmacological treatment, as well as the respective treatment indications for the general practitioner. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

9 pages, 16474 KiB  
Case Report
Frasier Syndrome: A 15-Year-Old Phenotypically Female Adolescent Presenting with Delayed Puberty and Nephropathy
by Qing Shao, Xinglei Xie, Jia Geng, Xiaoling Yang, Wei Li and Yuwei Zhang
Children 2023, 10(3), 577; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030577 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2241
Abstract
Frasier syndrome (FS) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by gonadal dysgenesis and progressive nephropathy, resulting from mutations in the intron 9 splice donor site of the Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) gene. It is associated with male gonadal dysgenesis (female external genitalia with [...] Read more.
Frasier syndrome (FS) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by gonadal dysgenesis and progressive nephropathy, resulting from mutations in the intron 9 splice donor site of the Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) gene. It is associated with male gonadal dysgenesis (female external genitalia with a 46 XY karyotype), and a high risk of gonadoblastoma during adolescence. Patients with FS present early in childhood with proteinuria that progressively worsens with a high likelihood of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Herein, we report a 15-year-old female (karyotype 46, XY) patient characterized by delayed puberty and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome, in whom whole genome sequencing showed a mutation in intron 9 of the WT1 gene, c.1447 + 4 C>T. This is the first case of FS with delayed puberty as the first complaint with no previous renal symptoms. We consider delayed puberty as an important manifestation of FS and summarize the diagnostic process of delayed puberty in the female phenotype. For clinicians, delayed puberty is a common disorder in pediatrics but requires vigilance for some rare causes. Etiological screening and chromosome karyotype analysis are important for the early diagnosis of FS in patients with delayed puberty. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop