Heart Health 10 Years After TTTS
Updated: Aug 27
Treating twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome is only part of the story. Researchers also need to understand how children who experienced TTTS before birth develop in the years that follow.
A study involving researchers at Imperial College and Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital examined cardiac function in twins at around 10 years of age.
The researchers compared children from monochorionic twin pregnancies unaffected by TTTS with TTTS survivors who had been treated before birth using either serial amnioreduction or laser photocoagulation, as well as a separate control group.
Reassuringly, the cardiac measurements assessed in the study were within normal ranges for children of this age.
Researchers did, however, identify differences in aspects of left ventricular rotation and diastolic function between some groups. The findings highlighted the importance of studying not only survival following TTTS but also the long-term cardiovascular health of children as they grow.
The research was supported by The Richard and Jack Wiseman Trust alongside other research organisations.
Long-term follow-up studies such as this help clinicians understand the lasting effects of TTTS and its treatments, and identify questions that future research needs to answer.
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