Pediatric endocrinology reviews 

About: Pediatric endocrinology reviews is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Short stature & Population. It has an ISSN identifier of 1565-4753. Over the lifetime, 747 publications have been published receiving 11878 citations.

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR): epidemiology and etiology.

Abstract: Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is mainly due to a pathologic slow-down in the fetal growth pace, resulting in a fetus that is unable to reach its growth potential. IUGR frequency will vary depending on the discrimination criteria adopted. It is extremely important to use local or national fetal growth graphs in order to avoid some confounding factors. IUGR incidence in newborns would be between 3% and 7% of the total population. In our experience it is 5.13% a figure similar to the one obtained by other authors but with a progressively higher incidence during the last decade. There are multiple maternal factors that can generally be grouped into constitutional and general factors given that they affect age, weight, race, maternal cardiac volume, etc, socioeconomic factors with key incidence in the mother's nutrition level, where a poor maternal nutrition level would be the key factor in this group. We have evaluated multiple factors as possible contributors to the IUGR risk: race, parents' age, mother's height (cm), mother's birth weight and before pregnancy (kg), ponderal gain and blood pressure during pregnancy, and previous SGA newborns. Socioeconomic factors like social class, parents' profession, habitual residence, salary, immigration, and diet were also evaluated. We also included variables such as total daily working time and time mothers spent standing up, daily sleeping time (hrs), stress self-perception test at work and primiparity age. Toxic factors during pregnancy: tobacco (active and passive), alcohol, drugs and coffee consumption. Fetal or utero-placental factors were considered. In our study, the most significant etiologic factors were: Active and passive tobacco consuming, mother's stress level, increase of total months worked during pregnancy, total daily working hours and time mothers spent standing up and finally, the parent's height. Our data support the main objective of reducing the incidence of SGA newborns after IUGR by fighting against tobacco from all fields, including the passive smoking habit, and improving the laboral conditions of the pregnant mother, lowering the number of daily hours worked, the physical activity and trying to avoid and to cope with stressful situations.

Growth and neurodevelopmental outcome of children born to mothers with pregestational and gestational diabetes.

Abstract: UNLABELLED Diabetes during pregnancy may be associated with a high rate of congenital anomalies, disturbances of intrauterine growth and often post-natal neurobehavioral abnormalities in the offspring. The latter are associated with pregestational (PGD) as well as with gestational diabetes (GD). In this review we discuss the effects of maternal glucose intolerance on the long-term growth and development of the offspring. In well-controlled diabetes, birth weight is often within normal limits while in partially controlled diabetes newborns are often macrosomic. In PGD mothers with nephropathy, newborns tend to be born prematurely and small for gestational age (SGA). Offspring of diabetic mothers are often large and overweight in comparison to controls. Their long-term development is sometimes impaired. Delayed brain maturity is often observed in newborns of diabetic mothers compared to controls. The IQ scores of the children born to well controlled diabetic mothers are generally similar to that of control children. However, these children perform less well than controls in fine and gross motor functions. They also seem to have a higher rate of inattention and/or hyperactivity as observed by various tests and questionnaires. In our studies we found, in accordance with published literature, a negative correlation between the performance of the children born to mothers with PGD or GD on various neurodevelopmental and behavioral tests and the severity of maternal hyperglycemia as assessed by blood glycosylated hemoglobin levels and acetonuria. IN CONCLUSION PGD or GD may adversely affect intrauterine and postnatal growth, attention span and motor functions of the offspring, but not their cognitive ability unless complicated by nephropathy or hypertension. These effects are negatively correlated with the degree of maternal glycemic control.

Low birth weight and catch-up-growth associated with metabolic syndrome: a ten-year systematic review

Abstract: Objective We conducted a systematic review in order to: i. summarize the relationship between low birth weight, catch-up-growth and the metabolic syndrome, from publications during the past 10 years; and ii. study the potential role of an alternative nutritional approach to side effects of catch-up-growth. Methods We reviewed all papers published in the past ten years assessing the possible association between low birth weight, catch-up-growth and the occurrence of some components of the metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Results We found 57 studies which described the relationship between metabolic syndrome associated features and low birth weight and catch-up-growth. The majority of the studies in children, adolescents and adults born small for gestational age (SGA) suggested that insulin resistance could represent the prelude to other metabolic disorders. Conclusions Both low birth weight and catch-up-growth seem to correlate with some aspects of a later metabolic syndrome.

Primary Dysmenorrhea in Adolescents: Prevalence, Impact and Recent Knowledge.

Abstract: Background and objectives Dysmenorrhea is commonly categorized into two types; primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is the focus of this review. PD is defined as painful menses with cramping sensation in the lower abdomen that is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and tremulousness. All these symptoms occur just before or during the menses in women with normal pelvic anatomy. In adolescents the prevalence of PD varies between 16% and 93%, with severe pain perceived in 2% to 29% of the studied girls. Several studies suggest that severe menstrual pain is associated with absenteeism from school or work and limitation of other daily activities. One-third to one-half of females with PD are missing school or work at least once per cycle, and more frequently in 5% to 14% of them. The wide variation in the prevalence rates may be attributed to the use of selected groups of subjects. Many risk factors are associated with increased severity of dysmenorrhea including earlier age at menarche, long menstrual periods, heavy menstrual flow, smoking and positive family history. Young women using oral contraceptive pills (OCP) report less severe dysmenorrhea. The considerably high prevalence of dysmenorrhea among adolescents verified that this condition is a significant public health problem that requires great attention. SUMMARY OF MAIN RESULTS: Many methodological problems are encountered during quantifying and grading severity of pain related to dysmenorrhea. Quantifying and assessment tools depend on women's self-reporting with potential bias. There is a scarcity of longitudinal studies on the natural history of dysmenorrhea as well as the possible effects of many modifiable risk factors. In addition, the duration of follow-up in the available studies is relatively short. Therefore, several aspects are still open for research. Medical treatment for dysmenorrhea includes anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), OCP or surgical intervention. The efficacy of conventional treatments using NSAIDs and OCP is high. However, failure rate may reach up to 20% to 25%, besides the occurrence of drug-associated adverse effects. Only 6% of adolescents receive medical advice to treat dysmenorrhea while 70% practice self-management. Unfortunately, some girls even abuse these medications (non-therapeutic high doses) for quick pain relief. The persistence of dysmenorrhea despite the use of OCP and/or NSAIDs drugs is a strong indicator of an organic pelvic disease. This condition mandates an appropriate referral to a gynecologist with proper laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis and/or other pelvic diseases. Conclusions Dysmenorrhea is an important health problem for adolescents, school and occupational as well as practitioners that adversely affects the daily activities and quality of life for adolescent women. The accurate prevalence of dysmenorrhea is difficult to establish due to the variety of diagnostic criteria and the subjective nature of the symptoms. In adolescents, moderate to severe dysmenorrhea that affects lifestyle and does not respond to medical treatment requires professional attention and proper diagnosis of possible underlying pelvic disease. Therefore, adolescent care providers should be more knowledgeable and actively involved in the care of dysmenorrhea.

Testicular anti-Müllerian hormone: history, genetics, regulation and clinical applications.

Abstract: Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), also called MUllerian inhibiting substance (MIS) is a product of supporting gonadal Sertoli and granulosa cells Its main physiological role is the induction of regression of Mullerian ducts in male fetuses but it also plays a role in Leydig cell steroidogenesis and in follicular development It is a member of the transforming growth factor B family and signals through two serine/threonine kinase receptors, only one of whom, type II, is specific Type I receptors and the intracytoplasmic signaling molecules are shared with the bone morphogenetic family AMH is positively regulated by SF1, SOX9 and FSH Testosterone is a powerful downregulator Males lacking functional AMH or AMH receptor genes do not undergo regression of MUllerian derivatives during fetal life AMH is an excellent marker of prepubertal testicular function and has gained recognition as a valuable marker of follicular reserve in adult women