Background/Aims: Treatment of children with growth disorders with recombinant human growth hormone is necessary for improved outcomes, including final height. Methods: Adherence data from the Observational Study Saizen®-online, recorded with the easypod™ device collected between October 2009 and May 2011, were analyzed in pediatric patients receiving recombinant human growth hormone treatment for a variety of growth disorders. Results: Data from 75 children (46 boys, 29 girls) with different growth disorders were analyzed over a period of 343 ± 201 (SD) days. Boys and girls showed similar mean ± SD adherence rates of 90.5 ± 3.1% and 92.2 ± 10.7%, respectively. Pubertal children (n = 41) had a significantly lower adherence rate (89.1 ± 13.7%) than prepubertal children (n = 29) (96.5 ± 3.9%; p < 0.005). There were nonsignificant differences in adherence rates according to diagnosis: growth hormone deficiency (n = 48) 91.4 ± 11.0%, small for gestational age (n = 18) 91.1 ± 15.3%, Turner syndrome (n = 6) 86.0 ± 14.5%, and chronic renal failure (n = 3) 99.3 ± 1.0%, although the latter two groups were small. Conclusion: Our data indicate that only a small number of pediatric patients using the easypod device had poor adherence to treatment. Further reliable adherence data are required to identify factors affecting long-term adherence in this population.

Context:Only approximately 85% of patients with a clinical diagnosis complete androgen insensitivity syndrome and less than 30% with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome can be explained by inactivating mutations in the androgen receptor (AR) gene.Objective:The objective of the study was to clarify this discrepancy by in vitro determination of AR transcriptional activity in individuals with disorders of sex development (DSD) and male controls.Design:Quantification of DHT-dependent transcriptional induction of the AR target gene apolipoprotein D (APOD) in cultured genital fibroblasts (GFs) (APOD assay) and next-generation sequencing of the complete coding and noncoding AR locus.Setting:The study was conducted at a university hospital endocrine research laboratory.Patients:GFs from 169 individuals were studied encompassing control males (n = 68), molecular defined DSD other than androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS; n = 18), AR mutation-positive AIS (n = 37), and previously undiagnosed DSD including patients with a clinical suspicion of AIS (n = 46).Intervention(s):There were no interventions.Main Outcome Measure(s):DHT-dependent APOD expression in cultured GF and AR mutation status in 169 individuals was measured.Results:The APOD assay clearly separated control individuals (healthy males and molecular defined DSD patients other than AIS) from genetically proven AIS (cutoff < 2.3-fold APOD-induction; 100% sensitivity, 93.3% specificity, P < .0001). Of 46 DSD individuals with no AR mutation, 17 (37%) fell below the cutoff, indicating disrupted androgen signaling.Conclusions:AR mutation-positive AIS can be reliably identified by the APOD assay. Its combination with next-generation sequencing of the AR locus uncovered an AR mutation-negative, new class of androgen resistance, which we propose to name AIS type II. Our data support the existence of cellular components outside the AR affecting androgen signaling during sexual differentiation with high clinical relevance.

Objective: To study the impact of the quality of therapeutic control on fertility and on the prevalence of testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs) in young males with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Design: Combined cross-sectional and retrospective clinical study. Methods: Twenty-nine patients and age-matched controls underwent clinical investigation, including semen analysis, testicular and adrenal ultrasound imaging, and serum and hair steroid analysis. The quality of therapeutic control was categorized as “poor”, “moderate” or “medium”. Evaluation of current control was based on concentrations of 17-hydroxy-progesterone and androstenedione in serum and 3 cm hair; previous control was categorized based on serum 17-hydroxy-progesterone concentrations during childhood and puberty, anthropometric and puberty data, bone age data and adrenal sizes. Results: Semen quality was similar in males with CAH and controls (p = 0.066), however patients with “poor” past control and large TARTs, or with “poor” current CAH control, had low sperm counts. Follicle-stimulating hormone was decreased, if current CAH control was “poor” (1.8 ± 0.9 U/L; “good”: 3.9 ± 2.2 U/L); p = 0.015); luteinizing hormone was decreased if it was “poor” (1.8 ± 0.9 U/L; p = 0.041) or “moderate” (1.9 ± 0.6 U/L; “good”: 3.0 ± 1.3 U/L; p = 0.025). None of the males with “good” past CAH control, 50% of those with “moderate” past control and 80% with “poor” past control had bilateral TARTs. The prevalence of TARTs in males with severe (class null or A) CYP21A2 mutations was 53%, and 25% and 0% in those with milder class B and C mutations, respectively. Conclusions: TART development is favoured by inadequate long-term hormonal control in CAH. Reduced semen quality may be associated with large TARTs. Gonadotropin suppression by adrenal androgen excess during the latest spermatogenic cycle may contribute to impairment of spermatogenesis.

Background Data on patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infections are sparse. This study aimed to investigate the association between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and T1DM. Methods Data from the Prospective Diabetes Follow‐up (DPV) Registry were analyzed for diabetes patients tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg during January 2020–June 2021, using Wilcoxon rank‐sum and chi‐square tests for continuous and dichotomous variables, adjusted for multiple testing. Results Data analysis of 1855 pediatric T1DM patients revealed no differences between asymptomatic/symptomatic infected and SARS‐CoV‐2 negative/positive patients regarding age, new‐onset diabetes, diabetes duration, and body mass index. Glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) rate were not elevated in SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive vs. ‐negative patients. The COVID‐19 manifestation index was 37.5% in individuals with known T1DM, but 57.1% in individuals with new‐onset diabetes. 68.8% of positively tested patients were managed as outpatients/telemedically. Data analysis of 240 adult T1MD patients revealed no differences between positively and negatively tested patients except lower HbA1c. Of these patients, 83.3% had symptomatic infections; 35.7% of positively tested patients were hospitalized. Conclusions Our results indicate low morbidity in SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected pediatric T1DM patients. Most patients with known T1DM and SARS‐CoV‐2 infections could be managed as outpatients. However, SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was usually symptomatic if it coincided with new‐onset diabetes. In adult patients, symptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and hospitalization were associated with age.