title: Intertwin cardiac status at 10-year follow-up after intrauterine laser coagulation therapy of severe twin-twin transfusion syndrome: comparison of donor, recipient and normal values.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), genetically identical twins are exposed to different haemodynamic conditions during fetal life, which are considered to be the cause of prenatal and postnatal cardiovascular differences between the donor and the recipient.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess intertwin differences on childhood cardiac outcome after intrauterine laser coagulation therapy (LC) of severe TTTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, detailed, echocardiographic follow-up of 31 twin pairs aged 9.95±0.8 years (mean±SD) with severe TTTS treated by LC, and the comparison with reference values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac function was normal and did not show intertwin differences in twins without structural heart disease. Discordant birth weight or birth weight <3rd centile for gestational age had no influence on blood pressure and cardiac indices. Pulmonary stenosis was more common (5/62; 8.1%) than in the general population (prevalence 0.066%, relative risk 134.4, 95% CI 42.1 to 428.8, p<0.0001) and affected both donor and recipient. Intertwin differences in late diastolic right ventricular filling (peak velocities: recipient 0.51±0.11 m/s vs donor 0.45±0.10 m/s, mean difference 0.74 m/s, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.24, p=0.009) and early septal relaxation (mean myocardial velocities: recipient -8.2±1.5 cm/s vs donor -8.9±1.2 cm/s, mean difference 0.7 cm/s, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.38, p=0.044) were found only when twins with right heart disease were included.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite severe prenatal cardiac involvement, childhood cardiac function is normal in the majority of surviving donors and recipients after successful LC of severe TTTS. This underlines the favourable impact of intrauterine LC on postnatal cardiovascular performance.
authors: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors: Ulrike
authors: U
authors: Herberg
authors: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors: Julian
authors: J
authors: Bolay
authors: Division of Neonatology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors: Pauline
authors: P
authors: Graeve
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Kurt
authors: K
authors: Hecher
authors: Division of Neonatology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Bartmann
authors: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Breuer
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D046128:Fetal Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cardiology; Fetal Medicine; Outcomes Research; Twin Studies