B-type natriuretic peptide levels are correlated with birth-weight discordance in monochorionic-diamniotic twins without twin-twin transfusion syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in umbilical cord blood (UCB) and amniotic fluid (AF) are correlated with birth-weight discordances in monochorionic-diamniotic twins.


METHODS
The UCB-BNP and AF-BNP levels were determined at birth in 36 twin-pairs without twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).


RESULTS
Both the UCB-BNP and the AF-BNP levels were significantly higher among twins with either a birth-weight discordance ≥20% (141.6 versus 52.9 pg ml(-1) for UCB-BNP, 38.0 versus 17.2 pg ml(-1) for AF-BNP) or cardiac dysfunction at birth (167.2 versus 56.3 pg ml(-1) for UCB-BNP, 34.9 versus 19.0 pg ml(-1) for AF-BNP), compared with neonates without the respective characteristics. The UCB-BNP and AF-BNP levels in both the larger and the smaller twins were significantly correlated with birth-weight discordance.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiac dysfunction occurs in both larger and smaller co-twins with increasing birth-weight discordances, even in the absence of TTTS.
Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. akinori@med.hokudai.ac.jp
A
A
Moriichi
K
K
Cho
Y
Y
Furuse
T
T
Akimoto
Y
Y
Kaneshi
T
T
Yamada
M
M
Morikawa
T
T
Yamada
H
H
Minakami
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014427:Twins; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D055815:Young Adult
D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain