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Context Age of pubertal onset has been decreasing in many countries but there have been no data on pubertal development in Chinese children over the last decade. Objective The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the current status of sexual maturation in Chinese children and adolescents. Secondary objectives were to examine socioeconomic, lifestyle, and auxological associations with pubertal onset. Methods In this national, cross-sectional, community-based health survey, a multistage, stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select a nationally representative sample, consisting of 231 575 children and adolescents (123 232 boys and 108 343 girls) between 2017 and 2019. Growth parameters and pubertal staging were assessed by physical examination. Results Compared to 10 years previously, the median age of Tanner 2 breast development and menarche were similar at 9.65 years and 12.39 years respectively. However, male puberty occurred earlier with a median age of testicular volume ≥4 mL of 10.65 years. Pubertal onset did occur earlier at the extremes, with 3.3% of the girls with breast development at 6.5-6.99 years old, increasing to 5.8% by 7.5-7.99 years old. Early pubertal onset was also noted in boys, with a testicular volume ≥ 4 mL noted in 1.5% at 7.5-7.99 years, increasing to 3.5% at 8.5-8.99 years old. Obesity and overweight increased risk of developing earlier puberty relative to normal weight in both boys and girls. Conclusion Over the past decade, pubertal development is occurring earlier in Chinese children. While the cause is multifactorial, overweight and obesity are associated with earlier puberty onset. The currently used normative pubertal data of precocious puberty may not be applicable to diagnose precocious puberty.

Context The evidence of long-term polyethylene glycol recombinant human GH (PEG-rhGH) in pediatric GH deficiency (GHD) is limited. Objective This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and safety of long-term PEG-rhGH in children with GHD in the real world, as well as to examine the effects of dose on patient outcomes. Design A prospective, observational, posttrial study (NCT03290235). Setting, participants and intervention Children with GHD were enrolled from 81 centers in China in 4 individual clinical trials and received weekly 0.2 mg/kg/wk (high-dose) or 0.1 to Main outcomes measures Height SD score (Ht SDS) at 12, 24, and 36 months. Results A total of 1170 children were enrolled in this posttrial study, with 642 patients in the high-dose subgroup and 528 in the low-dose subgroup. The Ht SDS improved significantly after treatment in the total population (P < 0.0001), with a mean change of 0.53 ± 0.30, 0.89 ± 0.48, 1.35 ± 0.63, 1.63 ± 0.75 at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months, respectively. In addition, the changes in Ht SDS from baseline were significantly improved in the high-dose subgroup compared with the low-dose subgroup at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after treatment (all P < 0.05). A total of 12 (1.03%) patients developed serious adverse events. There was no serious adverse event related to the treatment, and no AEs leading to treatment discontinuation or death occurred. Conclusions PEG-rhGH showed long-term effectiveness and safety in treating children with GHD. Both dose subgroups showed promising outcomes, whereas PEG-rhGH 0.2 mg/kg/wk might show additional benefit.

Short stature is among the most common endocrinological disease phenotypes of childhood and may occur as an isolated finding or in conjunction with other clinical manifestations. Although the diagnostic utility of clinical genetic testing in short stature has been implicated, the genetic architecture and the utility of genomic studies such as exome sequencing (ES) in a sizable cohort of patients with short stature have not been investigated systematically. In this study, we recruited 561 individuals with short stature from two centers in China during a 4-year period. We performed ES for all patients and available parents. All patients were retrospectively divided into two groups: an isolated short stature group (group I, n = 257) and an apparently syndromic short stature group (group II, n = 304). Causal variants were identified in 135 of 561 (24.1%) patients. In group I, 29 of 257 (11.3%) of the patients were solved by variants in 24 genes. In group II, 106 of 304 (34.9%) patients were solved by variants in 57 genes. Genes involved in fundamental cellular process played an important role in the genetic architecture of syndromic short stature. Distinct genetic architectures and pathophysiological processes underlie isolated and syndromic short stature.

This study aimed to analyze a comprehensive set of potential risk factors for obesity and overweight among Chinese children with a full range of ages and with wide geographical coverage.In the Prevalence and Risk Factors for Obesity and Diabetes in Youth (PRODY) study (2017-2019), the authors analyzed 193,997 children aged 3 to 18 years from 11 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities that are geographically representative of China. All participants underwent physical examinations, and their caregivers completed questionnaires including dietary, lifestyle, familial, and perinatal information of participants. A multilevel multinomial logistic regression model was used to evaluate the potential risk factors.Among the actionable risk factors that were measured, higher consumption frequencies of animal offal (odds ratios [OR] for an additional time/day = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.88-0.95, same unit for OR below unless specified otherwise), dairy products (0.91, 95% CI: 0.88-0.94), freshwater products (0.94, 95% CI: 0.91-0.96), staple foods (0.94, 95% CI: 0.92-0.96), and coarse food grain (OR for every day vs. rarely = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.98) were associated with lower relative risk of obesity. However, higher restaurant-eating frequency (OR for4 times/month vs. rarely = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.15-1.29) and longer screen-viewing duration (OR for2 hours vs.30 minutes = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.10-1.22) were associated with higher relative risk of obesity. Increased exercise frequency was associated with the lowest relative risk of obesity (OR for every day vs. rarely = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.68-0.77).Changes in lifestyle and diet of Chinese children may help relieve their obesity burden.

Summary Background & Aims The rise in the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased the demand for accurately evaluating body fatness in pediatric population. The aim of this study was to provide a series of sex- and age-specific body fat reference centiles for evaluating total body fat development and fat distribution in Chinese children and adolescents using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Methods A nationwide sample of Chinese children and adolescents aged 3-18 years (n=12,790) was drawn from a cross-sectional survey of the China Child and Adolescent Cardiovascular Health study (2013-2019). Fat measurements, including total fat mass index (FMI), total body fat percentage (BF%), regional FMI, trunk to leg (T/L) fat ratio and android to gynoid (A/G) fat ratio, were derived from whole body DXA scans. Sex- and age-specific centiles were estimated using the lambda-mu-sigma method and then compared with values derived from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004) and Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2011). Results During early childhood, almost all body fat parameters decreased with age, except an increase in A/G ratio. After 7 years onward, drastic upward trends of total FMI and BF% were exhibited in boys till 10 years, followed by opposite downward trends during 11-14 years; while sustained increase of FMI was shown in girls across ages accompanied by relatively constant BF% levels. Meanwhile, steady increases were noticed for A/G ratio and T/L ratio, which were more pronounced in boys. In addition, the proposed body fat references were much lower than the US but similar to Koreans despite of subtle differences. Conclusions This is the first study to present a set of DXA-based body fat reference for Chinese children and adolescents aged 3-18 years. The new reference provides clinicians and researchers a useful tool for assessing body fat development and distribution patterns across the periods from early childhood to adolescence.

Objective: To provide new information about androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS), we studied growth patterns in Chinese children with AIS. Subjects: Data are from 118 untreated AIS patients who were admitted to eight pediatric endocrine centers from January 2010 to December 2019. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, clinical data were collected from a multicenter database. We compared physical assessment data among AIS patients and standard growth charts for Chinese pediatric population. Results: 1. Children with AIS grew slightly less than the mean before 6 months of age, and then, height gradually increased before 12 years of age, from the median to +1 standard deviation (SD), according to the standard reference for Chinese pediatric population. After 12 years of age, height showed differently in profiles: The mean height in AIS patients gradually decreased from the mean to −1 SD, according to the standard for Chinese boys, and increased from the mean to +2 SD, according to the standard for Chinese girls. 2. The weights of children with AIS were greater than the mean standards of Chinese pediatric population from newborn to 11 years of age. From 12–16 years of age, the mean weight of children with AIS showed different profiles, from the mean to −1 SD, according to the standard for Chinese boys and from the mean to +1.5 SD, according to the standard for Chinese girls. 3. Weight standard deviation (WtSDS) and target height (THt) in northern Chinese AIS patients were significantly higher than those from the southern region (p = 0.035, 0.005, respectively). Age in northern Chinese AIS patients was significantly younger than those from the southern region (p = 0.034). No difference was found among birth weight (BW), birth length (BL), height standard deviation (HtSDS) and body mass index (BMI) in AIS patients from different regions (p > 0.05). 4. HtSDS and WtSDS in complete AIS (CAIS) patients were higher than those in partial AIS (PAIS) patients without significant difference (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Growth of children with AIS varied to different degrees. AIS patients seemed not to experience a puberty growth spurt. CAIS and PAIS patients show little difference in their growth. Regional differences have no effect on the height but influence the weight of AIS patients.

Aim This study investigated the pattern of liver enzymes in a large cohort of Chinese children and adolescents, including 16 383 individuals aged 4-18 years old recruited at six medical centres in China. Methods Clinical data were collected including weight, height, blood pressure, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and fasting lipid panel. We used an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, the K-means clustering method, to identify different patterns of increased liver enzymes. Results Six clusters of elevated enzymes patterns were identified. The most common in 2.18% (325) of youth was elevated transaminases in the absence of features of metabolic syndrome(MetS), and they were thinner, and more likely to be from urban areas. The second cluster, with 1.47% (n = 220) youth had the most notable MetS features. They were older, obese and had central obesity, higher BP, triglycerides cholesterol and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Cluster 3 (0.6%, N = 90) had mild MetS, and cluster 4 (0.06%, N = 9), 5 (0.03%, N = 5) and 6 (0.007%, N = 1) were not related to MetS. Conclusions We identified two distinct groups of children with both increased liver enzymes and MetS features in this population sample of Chinese children. One of the two groups had increased liver enzymes as the predominant clinical features at a younger age, suggesting genetic susceptibility to the condition. Further work to understand the increased MetS risk in cluster 2 is warranted.

Myhre syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant multi-organ disorder characterized by growth retardation, skeletal anomalies, muscular hypertrophy, joint stiffness, facial dysmorphism, deafness, cardiovascular disease, and abnormal sexual development. Here we described the first two Chinese Myhre syndrome patients diagnosed by whole-exome sequencing. They both had de novo c.1498A > G (p.Ile500Val) variant in SMAD4 and presented with key characteristics of Myhre syndrome but also revealed uncommon features (polydactyly in the girl and precocious puberty in the boy). We performed functional analysis on four previously reported SMAD4 pathogenic variants in Myhre syndrome patients using dual-luciferase assay. Our results revealed that the pathogenic variants resulted in a variable degree of increased transcription activity of target genes that contain the minimal SMAD binding elements in their promoter regions. The boy responded to the recombinant human growth hormone treatment with improved height but also led to hyperinsulinemia and advanced bone age. Because of his precocious puberty, we subsequently combined the recombinant human growth hormone and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist treatments, which resulted in overall improved height. We reviewed the sexual features of reported Myhre syndrome cases and discussed the possible mechanism of SMAD4 variants in Myhre syndrome that lead to the abnormal hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

To analyze the metabolic profile and genetic variants for newborns with primary carnitine deficiency (PCD) from Guangxi, China.From January 2014 to December 2019, 400 575 newborns from the jurisdiction of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Newborn Screening Center were subjected to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis. Newborns with positive results for PCD and their mothers were recalled for retesting. Those who were still positive were subjected to sequencing of the SLC22A5 gene.Twenty-two newborns and 9 mothers were diagnosed with PCD, which gave a prevalence rate of 1/18 208. Sequencing of 18 newborns and 4 mothers have identified 14 types of SLC22A5 gene variants, with the common ones including c.51CG (10/44, 22.7%), c.1195CT (9/44, 20.5%) and c.1400CG (7/44, 15.9%), The c.517delC(p.L173Cfs*3) and c.1031CT(p.T344I) were unreported previously and predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+PM2_supporting+PM3+PP4) and likely pathogenic (PM1+PM2_supporting+PM3+PP3+PP4) based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics standards and guidelines.c.51CG, c.1195CT and c.1400CG are the most common variants underlying PCD in Guangxi.

Importance Obesity is a public health challenge in China, but the geographical profiles of overweight and obesity among Chinese children are limited. Objective To examine regional disparities in the prevalence of obesity among the heterogeneous population of Chinese children and adolescents to provide a more accurate profile of obesity among children in China. Design, setting, and participants The Prevalence and Risk Factors for Obesity and Diabetes in Youth (PRODY) study was a cross-sectional survey study conducted from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019, among 201 098 children aged 3 to 18 years from 11 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities that produced a sample of Chinese children with a full range of ages and wide geographical coverage using a multistage, stratified, cluster-sampling design. Exposures Five regions geographically representative of China (northern, eastern, southern, western, and central). Main outcomes and measures The body weights and heights of all participants were measured. Multilevel, multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Results Among 201 098 healthy children (105 875 boys [52.6%]; mean [SD] age, 9.8 [3.8] years) from eastern, southern, northern, central, and western China, the highest obesity prevalence was estimated for children aged 8 to 13 years in northern China (from 18.8% [95% CI, 16.2%-21.7%] to 23.6% [95% CI, 20.5%-26.9%]) and for boys aged 3 to 6 years in western China (from 18.1% [95% CI, 10.4%-29.4%] to 28.6% [95% CI, 14.3%-49.0%]). Boys had a higher prevalence than girls of obesity only in eastern and northern China, with a mean difference in prevalence of 4.6% (95% CI, 3.8%-5.4%) and 7.6% (95% CI, 6.5%-8.6%), respectively. Conclusions and relevance In this survey study, substantial geographic disparities in the prevalence of obesity and overweight were found among the heterogeneous population of Chinese children. The results suggest that special attention should be paid to vulnerable children and that regionally adapted interventions are needed to efficiently mitigate obesity in children.

Background Skeletal abnormality is a heterogeneous group of disorders that affects the composition and structure of bone and cartilage. In our previous studies, we have revealed that a substantial proportion of cases with early-onset scoliosis could be explained by monogenic disorders such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. More recently complex phenotypes caused by more than one genetic defect (i.e., dual molecular diagnosis) have also been reported in skeletal abnormalities. To explore the molecular epidemiology and phenotypic characteristics of dual diagnosis in skeletal abnormalities, we described cases with dual molecular diagnosis from the Deciphering disorders Involving Scoliosis and COmorbidities (DISCO) study.Results In total, 1108 patients with skeletal abnormality from the DISCO study underwent Exome Sequencing. We identified eight probands with dual molecular diagnosis, including three (0.7%) from individuals with early-onset scoliosis (EOS), three (0.5%) from individuals with short stature, and two (2%) from individuals with congenital hand/foot deformity (CHFA). Other skeletal abnormalities observed in these individuals included bone fracture and interphalangeal joint contracture. All the eight probands have dual diagnosis of two autosomal dominant (AD) diseases. A total of 16 variants in 12 genes were identified. A substantial rate (5 of 10) of the identified causal variants were of de novo origin. The frequently observed molecular diagnoses (observed in more than one patient) include Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type I (COL1A1, MIM:166200), Neurofibromatosis, Type I (NF1, MIM:162200) and Marfan Syndrome (FBN1, MIM:154700). These patients with dual molecular diagnosis often present blended phenotypes of two diseases, which significantly complicate their diagnostic process. Conclusions This study revealed the molecular epidemiology and complex diagnostic odyssey of dual molecular diagnosis through analyzing the clinical traits of skeletal abnormalities in eight patients.

Skeletal deformity is characterized by an abnormal anatomical structure of bone and cartilage. In our previous studies, we have found that a substantial proportion of patients with skeletal deformity could be explained by monogenic disorders. More recently, complex phenotypes caused by more than one genetic defect (i.e., dual molecular diagnosis) have also been reported in skeletal deformities and may complicate the diagnostic odyssey of patients. In this study, we report the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of patients with dual molecular diagnosis and variable skeletal deformities.From 1108 patients who underwent exome sequencing, we identified eight probands with dual molecular diagnosis and variable skeletal deformities. All eight patients had dual diagnosis consisting of two autosomal dominant diseases. A total of 16 variants in 12 genes were identified, 5 of which were of de novo origin. Patients with dual molecular diagnosis presented blended phenotypes of two genetic diseases. Mendelian disorders occurred more than once include Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type I (COL1A1, MIM:166200), Neurofibromatosis, Type I (NF1, MIM:162200) and Marfan Syndrome (FBN1, MIM:154700).This study demonstrated the complicated skeletal phenotypes associated with dual molecular diagnosis. Exome sequencing represents a powerful tool to detect such complex conditions.

PurposeTo investigate the features and treatment status of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in China.MethodsWe recruited patients ResultsA total of 1,603 children (755 males and 848 females) with T1DM participated in this survey. Of these, 834 (52.03%) of the patients exhibited diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at onset, while 769 patients (47.97%) did not exhibit DKA (non-DKA) at onset. There was a higher proportion of females (55.71%) in the cohort of patients exhibiting DKA at onset than in the non-DKA cohort (49.33%). The mean age of patients exhibiting DKA at presentation was 7.12 ± 0.14 years; this was significantly younger than that in non-DKA group (7.79 ± 0.15 years; P < 0.005). The frequency of DKA in 3 years old, 3-7 years old, and 7 years old or more was 77.21%, 26.17%, and 37.62%, respectively. Upon initial diagnosis, 29.4%, 15.2% and 11.8% of patients showed positivity for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA), Insulin autoantibodies (IAA), or islet cell antibody (ICA), respectively. During six months follow-up, 244 patients (15.21%) reported receiving insulin pump therapy, and more than 60% of patients monitored their blood glucose levels less than 35 times per week. Although the majority of patients had no problems with obtaining insulin, 4.74% of the children surveyed were not able to receive insulin due to financial reasons, a shortage of insulin preparations, or the failure of the parents or guardians to acquire the appropriate medicine.ConclusionDKA is more common in very young children. Treatment and follow-up of T1DM in China still face very serious challenges.

Objective To investigate the associations of fat mass in specific regions with cardiometabolic risk factors in Chinese children and adolescents. Patients and Methods This cross-sectional study consisted of 8460 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years from Chinese urban areas who underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for regional fat masses and had cardiometabolic risk factors measured between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2015. Results In the multivariate model containing arm fat mass, leg fat mass, and trunk fat mass, after adjustment for region, family income, age, puberty development, physical activity, and smoking, higher trunk fat mass was independently associated with greater odds of clustered cardiometabolic risk (odds ratio [OR], 2.21; 95% CI, 1.80-2.72), higher leg fat mass was associated with lower odds of clustered risk (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59-0.87), and arm fat mass was not significantly associated with clustered risk (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.97-1.55). In the multivariate model including android fat mass, gynoid fat mass, and other covariates, higher android fat mass was positively associated with clustered risk (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.88-2.64), but gynoid fat mass was not associated with clustered risk (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.72-1.03). Analyses for individual risk factors demonstrated similar results. Conclusion Fat stored in different regions has differential influences on cardiometabolic risk in youth. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term impacts of regional fat masses in childhood on cardiovascular risk in adulthood.

Hemoglobinopathies are the most common monogenic disorders worldwide. Substantial effort has been made to establish databases to record complete mutation spectra causing or modifying this group of diseases. We present a variant database which couples an online auxiliary diagnosis and at‐risk assessment system for hemoglobinopathies (DASH). The database was integrated into the Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD), in which we included all reported variants focusing on a Chinese population by literature peer review‐curation and existing databases, such as HbVar and IthaGenes. In addition, comprehensive mutation data generated by high‐throughput sequencing of 2,087 hemoglobinopathy patients and 20,222 general individuals from southern China were also incorporated into the database. These sequencing data enabled us to observe disease‐causing and modifier variants responsible for hemoglobinopathies in bulk. Currently, 371 unique variants have been recorded; 265 of 371 were described as disease‐causing variants, whereas 106 were defined as modifier variants, including 34 functional variants identified by a quantitative trait association study of this high‐throughput sequencing data. Due to the availability of a comprehensive phenotype‐genotype data set, DASH has been established to automatically provide accurate suggestions on diagnosis and genetic counseling of hemoglobinopathies. LOVD‐DASH will inspire us to deal with clinical genotyping and molecular screening for other Mendelian disorders.

Non-immune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) is a complex condition with a high mortality and morbidity rate. Here we report the etiology and outcome of 1004 fetuses with NIHF, in a large single Maternal and Children’s hospital of Southern China, since the year of 2009 to 2016. Among these 1004 fetuses with NIHF, the etiology was identified prenatally in 722 of them (72%). The most common ones were hematologic diseases and chromosomal abnormalities. There were eight spontaneous abortions, 18 intrauterine fetal demise, 672 pregnancy terminations and 87 were lost to follow-up. 219 of the 1004 fetuses were live-born and the overall survival rate was 21.8% at this point. After birth 16 perinatal or early neonatal deaths were encountered and five lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 198 newborns, 153 thrived without apparent morbidity. The most significant factors associated with mortality were prematurity and low birthweight. In conclusion, we described the largest report of underlying causes and outcome of NIHF in Southern China. Etiologies were identified for 72% of 1004 fetuses with NIHF. And two poor prognostic factors for survival are preterm birth at less than 36.5 weeks and birthweight lower than 2575 g respectively.

BackgroundThe 5α-reductase type 2 (5α-RD2) deficiency caused by mutations in the steroid 5α-reductase 2 (SRD5A2) gene results in variable degrees of undervirilisation in patients with 46,XY disorders of sex development. This study aims to profile the regional distribution and phenotype–genotype characteristics ofSRD5A2in a large Chinese 5α-RD2 deficiency cohort through multi-centre analysis.Methods190 subjects diagnosed with 5α-RD2 deficiency were consecutively enrolled from eight medical centres in China. Their clinical manifestations and genetic variants were analysed.ResultsHypospadias (isolated or combined with microphallus and/or cryptorchidism) was fairly common in the enrolled subjects (66.32%). 42 variants, including 13 novel variants, were identified inSRD5A2. Homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations presented in 38.42% and 61.58% of subjects, respectively, and predominated in exons 1, 4 and 5. The most prevalent variant was c.680G > A (52.37%), followed by c.16C > T, (10.79%), c.607G > A, (9.21%) and c.737G > A, (8.95%). However, their distributions were different: c.680G > A was more common in South China than in North China (62.62% vs 39.16%, p < 0.001), whereas the regional prevalence of c.16C > T was reversed (6.07% vs 16.87%, p = 0.001). Furthermore, c.680G > A prevailed in cases with normal meatus (68.75%) or distal hypospadias (66.28%), compared with those with proximal hypospadias (35.54%, p < 0.001). However, cases with proximal hypospadias showed a higher frequency of c.16C > T (20.48%) than those with normal meatus (3.13%) or distal hypospadias (3.49%, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThis study profiled variable phenotypic presentation and wide mutational spectrum ofSRD5A2,revealing its distinctive regional distribution in Chinese patients and further shaping the founder effect and genotype–phenotype correlation ofSRD5A2.

Background Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the most common neonatal endocrine disorder. Although most patients present with isolated CH, some patients present with CH and extra-thyroidal congenital malformations (ECMs), for which less is known about the underlying genetics. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic mechanisms in patients with CH and ECMs using chromosomal microarray (CMA) and whole exome sequencing (WES). Methods Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from 16 patients with CH and ECMs. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. CMA and WES were performed to detect copy number and single nucleotide variants. Results CMA identified clinically significant copy number variants in 7 patients consistent with their phenotypes. For 6 of them, the genotype and phenotype suggested a syndromic diagnosis, and the remaining patient carried a pathogenic microdeletion and microduplication including GLIS3. WES analysis identified 9 different variants in 7 additional patients. The variants included 2 known mutations (c.1096C>T (p.Arg366Trp) in KCNQ1 and c.848C>A (p.Pro283Gln) in NKX2-5) and 7 novel variants: one nonsense mutation (c.4330C>T (p.Arg1444*) in ASXL3), one frameshift mutation (c.1253_1259delACTCTGG (p.Asp418fs) in TG), three missense variants (c.1472C>T (p.Thr491Ile) in TG, c.4604A>G (p.Asp1535Gly) in TG, and c.2139G>T (p.Glu713Asp) in DUOX2, and two splice site variants (c.944-1G>C and c.3693 + 1G>T) in DUOX2. Conclusions We report the first genetic study of CH patients with ECMs using CMA and WES. Overall, our detection rate for pathogenic and possibly pathogenic variants was 87.5% (14/16). We report 7 novel variants, expanding the mutational spectrum of TG, DUOX2, and ASXL3.

Background: Geographical profiles of overweight and obesity in China are limited. We aimed to compare region-specific prevalences of overweight and obesity for Chinese children with a full range of ages and to describe the distribution of potential risk factors.Methods: We analyzed data from Prevalence and Risk factors for Obesity and Diabetes in Youth (PRODY) study, which was a cross-sectional survey of children aged 3-18 years from 11 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities that are geographically representative of western, southern, eastern, northern and central China. All participants underwent physical examinations, and their parents or caregivers completed online, self-administered questionnaires. We used multilevel logistic regression models to estimate prevalences of overweight and obesity and to assess related risk factors across sexes, age groups and regions. Findings: Between January 2017 and December 2019, 200,937 children in the PRODY study were included in our analysis. We found that children aged 8-13 years in northern China and children aged 3-5 years in western China were heavily burdened with overweight and obesity. In northern China the obesity prevalences peaked at 31·0% for boys and at 18·8% for girls, while in western China the prevalences of overweight and obesity peaked at 39·0% and 26·0%, respectively. Boys were vulnerable to overweight and obesity throughout all ages and regions (except western China). In addition, risk factors for overweight and obesity varied across ages, sexes and regions. Early-life factors (breast-feeding duration) and lifestyle factors (daily screen time, sleep time and exercise frequency) were the most important, modifiable factors for obesity control. Parental factors (parent’s overweight, socioeconomic characteristics and education status) had noteworthy impacts on their offspring’s overweight and obesity. Interpretation: The age- and sex-specific prevalences of overweight and obesity in Chinese children vary geographically; therefore, modifications of the major risk factors for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity should take age, sex and regional characteristics into consideration. Special attention should be paid to the most vulnerable children, and targeted interventions are urgently needed to mitigate the obesity burden in such a vast country. Funding: National Key RD National Natural Science Foundation of China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Science and Technology Project; Key Disciplines of Medicine; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities. Declaration of Interest: We declare no competing interests. Ethical Approval: The study protocol was approved by the ethics review committee of The Children’s Hospital of the Zhejiang University (Approval Number:2016-JRB-018) and the cooperating institutions.

Background Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is a well-characterized genomic disorder caused by 4p16.3 deletions. Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome patients exhibit characteristic facial dysmorphism, growth retardation, developmental delay, intellectual disability and seizure disorders. Recently, NSD2 gene located within the 165 kb Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome critical region was identified as the key causal gene responsible for most if not all phenotypes of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. So far, eight NSD2 loss of function variants have been reported in patients from different parts of the world, all were de novo variants. Methods In our study, we performed whole exome sequencing for two patients from one family. We also reviewed more NSD2 mutation cases in pervious literature. Results A novel loss of function NSD2 variant, c.1577dupG (p.Asn527Lysfs*14), was identified in a Chinese family in the proband and her father both affected with intellectual disability. After reviewing more NSD2 mutation cases in pervious literature, we found none of them had facial features that can be recognized as Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. In addition, we have given our proband growth hormone and followed up with this family for 7.5 years. Conclusions Here we reported the first familial NSD2 variant and the long-term effect of growth hormone therapy for patients. Our results suggested NSD2 mutation might cause a distinct intellectual disability and short stature syndrome.

Background: We aimed to develop a non-invasive model to detect the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in school children and adolescents. Methods: Participants were 7,330 children and adolescents aged 10–18 years, attending schools in eight Chinese localities. Participants had anthropometry measured and underwent fasting blood tests. MetS was defined as central obesity and a combination of abnormal glycaemia, hypertension, and/or dyslipidaemia. A prediction model for MetS was developed using non-invasive anthropometric and clinical parameters. Results: The prediction model had acceptable discrimination accuracy (AUROC 0.75) and 65.7% sensitivity. While its PPV was 36.5%, 72.2% of false-positives had one other metabolic abnormality beyond central adiposity. An alternative mixed process was developed: first, all children with central adiposity and hypertension were considered as cases; secondly, a prediction model was developed on remaining normotensive children with central adiposity, yielding possibly-helpful discrimination (AUROC 0.67). This combined approach yielded higher sensitivity (75.4%) but lower PPV (30.7%) with more false-positives, of whom 57.0% had one other metabolic abnormality beyond central adiposity. Conclusions: Most undiagnosed MetS cases could be detected in school children and adolescents with non-invasive methods. Importantly, most false-positive cases had metabolic abnormalities, so that the vast majority of cases identified by the models warranted medical follow-up.

Background To evaluate the efficacy of GH in improving FAH in ISS children in a multicenter study. Methods A real-world observation was carried out. Children with ISS in seven hospitals in China were enrolled. The height gains standard deviation score and the height gain over the target height were evaluated. Results There were 344 ISS patients (217 boys and 127 girls). The baseline average age of boys and girls was 12.7 and 11.7 years, with bone age of 11.7 and 10.1 years, respectively. The baseline height SDS of boys and girls was − 3.07 and − 2.74, and the FAH SDS was − 1.91 and − 1.38, respectively. Compared with the baseline height SDS, the FAH SDS was significantly increased in both boys and girls (both P = 0.0000). The FAH SDS was the highest (gain by 1.54 SD) in the ≥2y treatment course group. Two hundred eighteen patients (218/344, 63.4%) had a FAH SDS > − 2 SD. Among these patients, girls in the 1-2y treatment course group and ≥ 2y group had a FAH SDS higher than TH SDS. Even in the control group, a spontaneous catch-up growth of 1.16 SD was observed. A multivariate linear regression model was used to analyze the results, with FAH SDS as the dependent variable. It was found that the treatment course and baseline height SDS in the boys’ model were statistically significant (P P Conclusions Both girls and boys of ISS improved FAH by GH therapy even if treatments begin over 10 years old and majority of them reached TH. Some peri-puberty ISS will have a spontaneous height gain. We recommend the course of GH treatment more than 2 years for girls, and longer courses for boys.

Expanded carrier screening (ECS) has been demonstrated to increase the detection rate of carriers compared with traditional tests. The aim of this study was to assess the potential value of ECS for clinical application in Southern China, a region with high prevalence of thalassemia and with diverse ethnic groups, and to provide a reference for future implementations in areas with similar population characteristics. A total of 10,476 prenatal/preconception couples from 34 self-reported ethnic groups were simultaneously tested and analyzed anonymously for 11 Mendelian disorders using targeted next-generation sequencing. Overall, 27.49% of individuals without self-reported family history of disorders were found to be carriers of at least 1 of the 11 conditions, and the carrier frequency varied greatly between ethnic groups, ranging from 4.15% to 81.35%. Furthermore, 255 couples (2.43%) were identified as carrier couples at an elevated risk having an affected baby, sixty-five of which would not have been identified through the existing screening strategy, which only detects thalassemia. The modeled risk of fetuses being affected by any of the selected disorders was 531 per 100,000 (95% CI, 497-567 per 100,000). Our data demonstrate the feasibility of ECS, and provide evidence that ECS is a promising alternative to traditional one-condition screening strategies. The lessons learned from this experience should be applicable for other countries or regions with diverse ethnic groups.

Multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of fatty acid, amino acid, and choline metabolism caused by mutations in EFTA, EFTB, or ETFDH. Many MADD patients are responsive to treatment with riboflavin, termed riboflavin-responsive MADD (RR-MADD). Here, we report three novel mutations and one previously reported mutation in ETFDH in four RR-MADD patients who presented at various ages, and characterize the corresponding changes in ETF-QO protein structure. Clinicians should consider MADD in the differential diagnosis when patients present with muscle weakness and biochemical abnormalities. Gene testing plays a critical role in confirming the diagnosis of MADD, and may not only prevent patients from invasive testing, but also allow timely initiation of riboflavin treatment. The novel variants in ETFDH and the corresponding clinical features reported here enrich the allelic heterogeneity of RR-MADD and provide insight into genotype-phenotype relationships. Keywords: Multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, Glutaric aciduria II, ETFDH, ETF-QO, Riboflavin

Background Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder mainly characterized by cutaneous poikiloderma, sparse hair, short stature and skeletal defects. Deleterious mutations in the RecQ-like DNA helicase type 4 (RECQL4) gene have been detected in approximately two-thirds of RTS cases. Methods Three Chinese patients from two unrelated families were enrolled for clinical evaluation. Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) using a custom panel consisting of 705 short-stature-related genes was performed for the probands. Variants detected by NGS were confirmed by Sanger sequencing and examined in family members. Results The probands presented with characteristic features of severe growth delay, poikiloderma mostly on the face, buttocks and extremities, sparse or absent hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, forearm reduction defects, small hands with hypoplasia of the middle phalanx (little finger) in one of the probands, epicanthus, hypertelorism, and dental abnormalities. In addition, novel auricle features and other rare facial features, including narrow palpebral fissure, depressed nasal bridge, and small chin were exhibited. Four novel RECQL4 variants were identified, including three pathogenic frameshift variants, c.1724_1725delAC, p.His575fs*7; c.2421dupT, p.Asp808*; c.1770_1807del, p.Pro591fs*2, and one likely pathogenic missense variant, c.691G>A, p.Gly231Ser. Conclusion Our study expands the mutational spectrum of RECQL4 gene and reveals novel phenotypes observed in Chinese RTS patients.

Background The incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) differs significantly among different ethnicities and regions, and early differentiation of transient CH is important to avoid unnecessary prolonged treatment with L-T4. Objective To investigate the incidence of CH based on the newborn screening program in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, and to analyze the predictors that might allow for an early differentiation between permanent (P) and transient (T) CH. Design and methods Data from newborn screening program over a seven-year period (January 2009 to January 2016) at Guangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital are analyzed. Blood samples were collected on filter paper between 3 and 7 days after birth, and TSH level was measured by time-resolved fluorescence assay. Individuals with increased TSH (TSH ≥ 8 IU/L) levels detected by newborn screening were recalled for further evaluation. Serum TSH, FT3 and FT4 were determined by electrochemiluminescence assay using venous blood samples. Diagnosis of CH is based on elevated TSH levels (>10 IU/L) and decreased FT4 levels (4 levels were diagnosed as hyperthyrotropinemia. Permanent or transient CH was determined by using the results of thyroid function tests after temporary withdrawal of L-T4 therapy at approximately 2–3 years of age. Results Among 1,238,340 infants in the newborn screening program, 14,443 individuals were recalled for reevaluation (re-call rate 1.18%), 911 and 731 individuals were subsequently determined to have hyperthyrotropinemia and CH respectively; thus, a prevalence of 1:1359 and 1:1694 for hyperthyrotropinemia and CH. Of the 731 patients with CH, 161 patients were diagnosed with permanent CH (PCH), and 159 patients were diagnosed with transient CH (TCH), the other 411 patients are too young to determine their subtypes. Patients with PCH required an increasing dose of L-T4 during the first few years, whereas patients with TCH required a decreased dose of L-T4. The TSH levels at diagnosis and the dose of L-T4 used were significantly higher in PCH cases than in transient cases. The FT4 levels at diagnosis were significantly lower in PCH cases than in TCH cases. The TSH levels at diagnosis, FT4 levels at diagnosis and L-T4 doses at 90 days were evaluated as predictors for differentiating PCH and TCH, and their accuracy at their respective optimal cutoffs were determined to be 60.6%, 66.7% and 93.9%, respectively. Conclusions The CH incidence in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is slightly higher (1:1694) compared to the worldwide levels (1/2000–1/4000). The PCH and TCH ratio is close to 1; thus, the estimated PCH incidence is 1/3388, which is similar to reported worldwide average incidence (1/3000). The L-T4 dose required at 90 days (>30 μg/day) has the highest predictive value for PCH. Earlier differentiation of PCH and TCH helps to determine appropriate treatment course.

Thalassemia is one of the most common hereditary blood disorders. Epidemiological data regarding the occurrence and distribution of thalassemia is important for designing appropriate prevention strategies. The objective of this study was to update and reveal the prevalence of thalassemia and mutation spectrum in the Baise region of southern China. We screened 47,500 individuals from Baise region by hematological and genetic analysis. Totally, 11,432 (24.07%) subjects were diagnosed as being carriers and patients of thalassemia, including 7290 (15.35%) subjects with α-thalassemia, 3152 (6.64%) subjects with β-thalassemia and 990 (2.08%) subjects with both α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia. Ten α-thalassemia mutations and 31 genotypes were identified in the α-thalassemia carriers and patients. Meanwhile, 13 β-thalassemia mutations and 26 genotypes were characterized in the β-thalassemia carriers and patients. Furthermore, the true prevalence of nondeletional mutations and Thailand type (-THAI) deletion mutation were first reported in this study. In addition, three cases of αα/ααα3.7, five cases of HKαα/αα and two rare β-globin mutations, -86 (G>C) and CD 121 (G>T) were first identified in the Chinese Zhuang ethnic populations. Our data indicated that there was great heterogeneity and extensive spectrum of thalassemias in the Baise populations. The findings will be useful for genetic counseling and prevention of severe thalassemia in this region.

Background Gene variants have been reported to be associated with congenital hypothyroidism (CH), the purpose of this study was to analyze the mutation spectrum and prevalence of 12 known causative genes ( TSHR , PAX8 , NKX2 . 1 , NKX2 . 5 , FOXE1 , DUOX2 , TG , TPO , GLIS3 , NIS , SLC26A4 and DEHAL1 ) in CH in China. Methods Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from the patients. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. All exons and their exon-intron boundary sequences of the 12 known CH associated genes in 66 CH patients were screened by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Results NGS analysis of 12 known CH associated genes revealed that 32 patients (32/66, 48.5%) were detected to have at least one potentially functional variant. 21, 9, 1, 1, 1 and 1 patients were found to have potential pathogenic variants in DUOX2 , TG , PAX8 , SLC26A4 , TSHR and TPO genes, respectively. Novel variants included one DUOX2 and one TPO missense variants of unknown significance (VUS). Conclusion Our study expands the mutation spectrum of DUOX2 and TPO genes. 48.5% CH patients had at least one potential pathogenic variant. We found relatively high frequency of DUOX2 (31.8%) and TG (13.6%) mutations in our cohort.

De novo partial distal 1q trisomy is uncommon and mostly occurs in combination with monosomy of another chromosome due to a parental translocation. Distal 1q trisomy co-occurring with another de novo duplication on a separate chromosome is extremely rare. Here, we reported a patient carrying two large de novo interstitial duplications including a 20 Mb duplication at 1q42-q44 and a 14.2 Mb duplication at 9q21.12-q21.33. The patient presented with features of pre- and postnatal growth retardation, low birth weight, failure to thrive, developmental delay and frequent infection. Her dysmorphic features included macrocephaly, prominent forehead, triangular face, wide fontanelle, hypertelorism, flat nasal bridge, tented mouth, micrognathia, protruding and low-set ears, slender limbs with toe-walking appearance. In addition, she presented with subdural hematoma. The clinical presentations of this patient are mostly consistent with those of distal 1q trisomy syndrome or 9q interstitial duplication. The interstitial 1q trisomy may have contributed to the macrocephaly, prominent forehead and limb abnormalities of our patient. Either or both de novo duplications could have contributed to the features of growth retardation, developmental delay and dysmorphic features including hypertelorism, low-set ears and abnormal nose/nasal bridge.

Background: Despite perceiving their child as being above a healthy weight, many parents do not intervene. Little is known about the factors influencing parental action. We assessed parent...