Objective: Management of Differences of Sex Development (DSD) is complex and in resource limited settings the psychosexual and psychosocial aspects of DSD care have received limited attention. This review aims to explore recent literature on psychosocial care of DSD in low and upper middle-income countries (L/UMIC).
Materials And Methods: Scientific databases were searched and papers on management of DSD were reviewed according to predefined inclusion criteria.
Introduction: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) or 11-hydroxylase deficiency (11OHD) is characterized by underproduction of cortisol and overproduction of adrenal androgens. These androgens lead to a variable degree of virilization of the female external genitalia in 46,XX individuals. Especially in developing countries, diagnosis is often delayed and 46,XX patients might be assigned as males.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany women born with disorders or differences of sex development (DSD) report sexual problems, in particular women who have undergone extensive genital reconstruction. Examining cognitions and emotions that hinder or promote sexuality may facilitate understanding these sexual problems and may contribute to the development of specific interventions. In this study, sexual self-concept, body image, and sexual functioning were investigated in relation to genital surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Although the provision of e-learning (EL) training for healthcare workers (HCWs) and provider-to-HCW e-consultation (EC) is considered useful for health outcomes, research on their joint use is limited. This scoping review aimed to create an overview of what is currently known in the literature about the use and implementation of EC and EL by HCWs in LMICs and to answer the question of whether there is evidence of complementarity.
Materials And Methods: Scientific databases were searched and peer-reviewed papers were reviewed systematically according to predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria.
JMIR Form Res
November 2020
Background: Electronic learning (e-learning) is a widely accessible, low-cost option for learning remotely in various settings that allows interaction between an instructor and a learner.
Objective: We describe the development of a free and globally accessible multilingual e-learning module that provides education material on topics in pediatric endocrinology and diabetes and that is intended for first-line physicians and health workers but also trainees or medical specialists in resource-limited countries.
Methods: As complements to concise chapters, interactive vignettes were constructed, exemplifying clinical issues and pitfalls, with specific attention to the 3 levels of medical health care in resource-limited countries.
Forensic Sci Int Genet
September 2019
Predicting adult height from DNA has important implications in forensic DNA phenotyping. In 2014, we introduced a prediction model consisting of 180 height-associated SNPs based on data from 10,361 Northwestern Europeans enriched with tall individuals (770 > 1.88 standard deviation), which yielded a mid-ranged accuracy (AUC = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients with a disorder of sex development (DSD) are born with atypical genitals or may develop atypical genitals and atypical body appearance, if left untreated. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed in Indonesian patients to whom diagnostic procedures and medical intervention had been delayed. Comparison of 118 patients born with DSD, aged 6-41 years (60 children, 24 adolescents, and 34 adults) and 118 healthy control subjects matched for gender, age, and residential setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHorm Res Paediatr
May 2018
Background: Information sharing in chronic conditions such as disorders of/differences in sex development (DSD) is essential for a comprehensive understanding by parents and patients. We report on a qualitative analysis of communication skills of fellows undergoing training in paediatric endocrinology. Guidelines are created for the assessment of communication between health professionals and individuals with DSD and their parents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aims: To assess auxological and safety data for growth hormone (GH)-treated children with SHOX deficiency.
Methods: Data were examined for GH-treated SHOX-deficient children (n = 521) from the observational Genetics and Neuroendocrinology of Short Stature International Study (GeNeSIS). For patients with near-adult height information, GeNeSIS results (n = 90) were compared with a clinical trial (n = 28) of SHOX-deficient patients.
The magnitude of sex differences in human brain and behavior and the respective contributions of biology versus socialization remain a topic of ongoing study in science. The preponderance of evidence attests to the notion that sexual differentiation processes are at least partially hormonally mediated, with high levels of prenatal androgens facilitating male-typed and inhibiting female-typed behaviors. In individuals with Disorders/Differences of Sex Development (DSD), hormonal profiles or sensitivities have been altered due to genetic influences, presumably affecting gender(ed) activity interests as well as gender identity development in a minority of the affected population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Atypical sex development is associated with psychosocial vulnerability. We investigated psychosocial well-being in individuals with disorders of sex development (DSD) and hypothesized that psychosocial well-being was related to degree of genital atypicality at birth.
Methods: 120 male (n=16) and female (n=104) persons with DSD, aged 14-60 years, participated in a follow-up audit on psychosocial well-being.
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the aetiological spectrum of disorders of sex development (DSD) in a large cohort of underprivileged and undiagnosed patients from Indonesia.
Methods: A total of 286 patients with atypical external and/or internal genitalia were evaluated using clinical, hormonal, molecular genetic and histological parameters.
Results: The age (years) at presentation was 0-0·5 in 41 (14·3%), >0·5-12 in 181 (63·3%) and >12 in 64 cases (22·4%).
In most Western countries, clinical management of disorders of sex development (DSD), including ambiguous genitalia, begins at diagnosis soon after birth. For many Indonesian patients born with ambiguous genitalia, limited medical treatment is available. Consequently, affected individuals are raised with ambiguous genitalia and atypical secondary sex characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiabetes insipidus is a rare but serious endocrine disorder. Paediatric patients were evaluated for polyuria at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over a decade (2000-13). Relevant clinical examination and/or a triad of high serum osmolality, hypernatremia and low urine osmolality due to increased urine output confirmed the diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of this study is to investigate emotional and behavioral problems among Indonesian patients with disorders of sex development (DSD) who recently came under clinical management. As diagnostic procedures and treatment had been delayed, patients progressively developed ambiguous bodies, difficult to conceal from outsiders.
Method: We compared 118 Indonesian patients with DSD aged 6-41 years (60 children, 24 adolescents, 34 adults) and 118 healthy control subjects matched for age, gender, and residential settings.
The past 20 years have seen proliferation of electronic (e) resources that promote improved understanding of disorders of sex development (DSD): e-learning for physicians and trainees, e-consultation between clinicians, and e-information for families and affected individuals. Recent e-learning advances have emerged from the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology's online learning portal for current physicians and trainees. Developed with attention to developing clinical competencies incorporating learning theory, and presenting material that represents international best practice, this e-learning portal offers advances in training, making information more accessible for clinicians and trainees.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe present a brother and sister with severe rickets, alopecia and highly elevated serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-(OH)2D3). Genomic sequencing showed a homozygous point mutation (A133G) in the vitamin D receptor gene, leading to an amino acid change in the DNA binding domain (K45E), which was described previously. Hereditary vitamin D resistant rickets (HVDRR) was diagnosed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDisorders of sex development (DSDs) encompass a broad spectrum of conditions affecting the development of the gonads and genitalia. The underlying causes for DSDs include gain or loss of function variants in genes responsible for gonad development or steroidogenesis. Most patients with DSD have an unknown genetic etiology and cannot be given an accurate diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenomic prediction of the extreme forms of adult body height or stature is of practical relevance in several areas such as pediatric endocrinology and forensic investigations. Here, we examine 770 extremely tall cases and 9,591 normal height controls in a population-based Dutch European sample to evaluate the capability of known height-associated DNA variants in predicting tall stature. Among the 180 normal height-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously reported by the Genetic Investigation of ANthropocentric Traits (GIANT) genome-wide association study on normal stature, in our data 166 (92.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome are at an increased risk for the development of gonadal germ cell cancer. Residual androgen receptor (AR) activity and abnormal gonadal location may influence the survival of atypical germ cells and the development of other histopathological features. To assess this, we evaluated 37 gonads from 19 patients with complete androgen insensitivity (ranging in age from 3 months to 18 years).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn Indonesia, disorders of sex development (DSDs) are not well recognized and medical care for affected individuals is scarce. Consequently, many patients live with ambiguous genitalia and appearance. We compared reported outcomes on body image, sexual functioning, and sexual orientation of 39 adults with DSDs (aged 18 to 41) and 39 healthy controls matched for gender, age, and residential setting (urban, suburban, rural).
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