title: Neurodevelopmental outcome at 6 years of age after intrauterine laser therapy for twin-twin transfusion syndrome.
abstract: This study was undertaken to evaluate neurodevelopmental outcome of children at 6 years of age after intrauterine laser therapy for Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). This is part of a longitudinal study in children after intrauterine laser therapy for TTTS; 190 of 254 (74.8%) children, previously investigated at a median age of 2 years 10 months, were re-evaluated at 6 years 5 months (range 4 years 11 months -10 years 4 months). Sixty-four patients were not examined due to loss of contact. The median gestational age at birth was 34 + 3 weeks. The study included a physical/neurological examination, a standardized neurodevelopmental test (Kaufman-ABC) and/or results from the national screening programme for children as well as questionnaires. Patients were grouped in three outcome categories: group I: normal examination and test result; group II: minor neurological deficiencies and normal test results; group III: major neurological deficiencies and/or test results below minus two standard deviations. The following results were obtained at 6 years 5 months (for comparison, results of the same patients at 2 years 10 months in brackets). Group I: 79.5% (84.2%); group II: 11.6% (8.9%); group III: 8.9% (6.8%). Twenty-one (11%) patients had a worse and 8 (4.2%) an improved classification at 6 years 5 months as compared to 2 years 10 months. Overall, the results with 6 years did not significantly differ from the results with 2 years. Neurodevelopmental outcome at 6 years 5 months was not statistically, significantly different from outcome at 2 years 10 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital, Bonn, Germany. pauline.graeve@ukb.uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Graeve
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banek
authors.forename: Gaby
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stegmann-Woessner
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maschke
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hecher
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartmann
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D046128:Fetal Therapies; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy