Context:Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a life-threatening condition that is often due to monogenic causes in children. Although congenital adrenal hyperplasia occurs commonly, several other important molecular causes have been reported, often with overlapping clinical and biochemical features. The relative prevalence of these conditions is not known, but making a specific diagnosis can have important implications for management.Objective:The objective of the study was to investigate the clinical and molecular genetic characteristics of a nationwide cohort of children with PAI of unknown etiology.Design:A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate clinical, biochemical, and imaging data. Genetic analysis was performed using Haloplex capture and next-generation sequencing. Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, adrenoleukodystrophy, autoimmune adrenal insufficiency, or obvious syndromic PAI were excluded.Setting:The study was conducted in 19 tertiary pediatric endocrinology clinics.Patients:Ninety-five children (48 females, aged 0–18 y, eight familial) with PAI of unknown etiology participated in the study.Results:A genetic diagnosis was obtained in 77 patients (81%). The range of etiologies was as follows: MC2R (n = 25), NR0B1 (n = 12), STAR (n = 11), CYP11A1 (n = 9), MRAP (n = 9), NNT (n = 7), ABCD1 (n = 2), NR5A1 (n = 1), and AAAS (n = 1). Recurrent mutations occurred in several genes, such as c.560delT in MC2R, p.R451W in CYP11A1, and c.IVS3ds+1delG in MRAP. Several important clinical and molecular insights emerged.Conclusion:This is the largest nationwide study of the molecular genetics of childhood PAI undertaken. Achieving a molecular diagnosis in more than 80% of children has important translational impact for counseling families, presymptomatic diagnosis, personalized treatment (eg, mineralocorticoid replacement), predicting comorbidities (eg, neurological, puberty/fertility), and targeting clinical genetic testing in the future.

Boys are heavier than girls at term birth. Children with a 46,XY karyotype and androgen insensitivity syndrome (clinically complete form and/or proven mutations in the androgen receptor gene) were found to have a birth weight comparable to that of girls. These findings support the hypothesis that the difference in birth weight between boys and girls is generated by androgen action.

The aim of this study was to provide normative data for the onset and tempo of puberty in healthy boys. The analyses are based on data that were collected and evaluated biannually on 1112 Turkish school children aged from 8 to 18 years and a subsample of 30 boys who had reached final height (FH). The data were analyzed cross-sectionally in the total group and longitudinally in the subsample. Mean age and height (Ht) at onset of puberty were 11.6 +/- 1.2 years and 146.1 +/- 7.7 cm, respectively. Peak height velocity (HtV) was 10.1 +/- 1.6 cm. Total pubertal height gain was 26.4 +/- 4.3 cm. The duration of puberty was 4.9 +/- 0.6 years. Height at onset of puberty was positively correlated with FH (p < 0.0001) and with duration of puberty (p = 0.03). Body mass index at onset of puberty correlated negatively with age at onset of puberty (p < 0.009) and with the duration of puberty (p = 0.05) but not with FH. In conclusion, these results provide normative data for Ht and HtV for each testicular volume stage for boys in puberty. Height at onset of puberty is the most important determinant of FH. There is no secular trend for the onset of puberty. Weight does seem to affect the onset and tempo of puberty but not FH.

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due 21−hydroxylase deficiency (21−OHD) is a common autosomal recessive disorder. It is caused by defects in the CYP21A2 gene.Objective: Our aim was to determine the frequency of common gene mutations and to evaluate genotype−phenotype correlations in Turkish 21−OHD patients.Methods: Molecular analysis of the CYP21A2 gene was performed for the detection of the eight most common point mutations [p.P30L, IVS2−13C>G (IVS−2), p.I172N, exon 6 mutation cluster (p.I236N, p.V237E, p.M239K), p.V281L, p.Q318X, p.R356W, 8−bp−deletion], of large deletion and conversion by southern blotting, allele specific semi−quantitative PCR/enzyme restriction method and sequencing, in 56 patients with 21−OHD, from 52 families.Results: Disease−causing mutations were identified in 77 out of 91 alleles (84.6%) of the patients. Mutations were found in 34 of 43 alleles (79.1%) in salt wasting (SW; n=26), 32 of 36 alleles (88.8%) in simple virilizing (SV; n=24) and 11 of 12 alleles (91.6%) in non−classical (NC; n=6) form of CAH. The most frequent mutations were IVS−2 (22.0%), large conversion (14.3%), p.I172N (9.9%) p.R356W (8.8%), and large deletion (6.6%). In the SW form, the most frequent genotypes were homozygous for IVS−2 (11.5%) and homozygous for large conversion of the gene (11.5%). In the SV form, the most frequent genotype was homozygous for IVS−2 (20%), followed by compound heterozygous for p.I172N/8−bp del (10%). Homozygous for p.V281L (16.7%) was most common in NC. In most cases there was good correlation between genotype and phenotype. In the SW and NC forms, genotypes of all the patients correlated with their phenotypes. Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive study on the molecular basis of CAH patients in the Turkish population. Based on these results, we propose a modified screening strategy to facilitate molecular testing of CAH patients in our population.Conflict of interest:None declared.

This retrospective study evaluated clinical characteristics of patients with constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) at presentation, during puberty and at final height. The records of 151 children (105 boys, 46 girls) with CDGP were reviewed and the results were evaluated with respect to findings in healthy Turkish schoolchildren. CDGP was twice as frequent in boys as in girls. Height and weight deficit and short sitting height of the children were evident at presentation and continued up to final height. Mean age of onset of puberty was retarded by 2.5 years in girls and by 3 years in boys. The time between onset of puberty and pubertal growth spurt was shorter in both girls and boys than in the controls. Peak growth velocity was compromised in both girls and boys. Forty-one patients (30 boys, 11 girls) reached final height (FH). Mean FH was shorter than both target height and predicted adult height. The Bayley-Pinneau method was found to be a better predictor of FH than either the Tanner-Whitehouse method or target height. FH also showed correlation with the father's height. There was no effect of testosterone treatment on final height. Height deficit at onset of puberty, shorter duration between onset of puberty and pubertal growth spurt, compromised peak growth velocity and short upper segment due to delayed puberty, are findings which may explain the decreased final height of children with CDGP.