title: Developmental programming of cardiovascular risk in intrauterine growth-restricted twin fetuses according to aortic intima thickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to test the hypothesis that aortic intima thickness is greater in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) twin fetuses compared to normally developing twins, thus defining an increased cardiovascular risk that reflects genetic factors in fetuses sharing the same womb.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective study performed on twins from January 2009 to July 2011. Twins were classified into 3 groups: IUGR fetuses with an estimated fetal weight below the 10th percentile and an umbilical artery pulsatility index of greater than 2 SDs (group A), fetuses with an estimated fetal weight below the 10th percentile and normal Doppler findings (group B), and fetuses with an estimated fetal weight appropriate for gestational age (group C). Aortic intima thickness was measured at a median gestational age of 32 weeks. Values were compared among groups and between each twin and cotwin, also considering sex and chorionicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five fetuses were classified as group A, 36 as group B, and 95 as group C. The median aortic intima thickness values were 0.9 mm in group A, 0.7 mm in group B, and 0.6 mm in group C (P < .0001). There was a statistically significant difference between the aortic intima thickness of the twins and cotwins in groups A and B (P < .0001). Sex and chorionicity did not correlate with aortic intima thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, IUGR fetuses with Doppler abnormalities had greater aortic intima thickness, and IUGR twins with normal Doppler findings had intermediate thickness, supporting a genetic predisposition to cardiovascular risk independent of sex and chorionicity.
authors: Department of Woman and Child Health, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit, University of Padua School of Medicine, Padua, Italy.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Visentin
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Grisan
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Zanardo
authors: Martina
authors: M
authors: Bertin
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Veronese
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Cavallin
authors: Guido
authors: G
authors: Ambrosini
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Trevisanuto
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Trevisanto
authors: Erich
authors: E
authors: Cosmi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging