title: Long-term outcome of infants with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the long-term neurodevelopmental outcome of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1994 to December 2003, 33 newborns with TTTS who were derived from 18 monochorionic twin gestations were enrolled for the study. The development and growth at 3 or 6 years of age were compared between TTTS survivors and weight-matched singleton controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mortality in TTTS (8/33: 24%) was significantly higher than that of the controls (7/80: 9%). Of all 12 TTTS patients who were diagnosed before 25 weeks and born before 28 weeks of gestation, in 10 (83%) it led to neonatal or intrauterine death. The morbidity of cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and mental retardation did not differ between TTTS and control patients. The morbidity and severity of neurological deficits at school age were similar in both groups. No growth parameters at 3 or 6 years of age differed between TTTS and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Morbidity, growth and development of TTTS survivors attained comparable levels of weight-matched controls, despite the higher neonatal mortality. These results suggest that the early management of TTTS is critical for refining the total outcome of the affected twins.
authors.affiliation: Perinatal and Maternity Care Unit, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. hikino@pediatr.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hikino
authors.forename: Shouichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohga
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Hitoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development; D011247:Pregnancy