Myocardial hypertrophy of the recipient twins in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to determine risk factors for cerebral palsy (CP) in monochorionic twins, especially with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).


METHODS
In 33 pathologically confirmed monochorionic pregnancies, we analyzed the incidence of cardiovascular and neurological complications.


RESULTS
Seventeen cases were diagnosed as TTTS. Myocardial hypertrophy was detected in seven recipient twins of TTTS, but not found in the donor twins of TTTS or in non-TTTS. CP developed in six out of 29 in TTTS and one out of 32 in non-TTTS. In TTTS, all the cases with CP were seen in the recipient twins. The development of CP was significantly associated with cardiovascular complications such as myocardial hypertrophy and hydropic changes.


CONCLUSIONS
Myocardial hypertrophy found in the recipient twins in TTTS seems to be a risk for developing CP later on, which may have implications in understanding the pathogenesis of CP.
Hyodo
H M
HM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Unno
N
N
Masuda
H
H
Watanabe
T
T
Kozuma
S
S
Taketani
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D002823:Chorion / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors