[Acardiac twins: pronostics markers' study]

Objectives: To determine ultrasonographic markers that can help to predict prognosis in twins acardiac pathology in order to manage it.

Patients and methods: A retrospective multicentric study has been led between 1997 and 2006. The following data were collected: frequency of monitoring, ultrasonographic markers studied according to the outcome of each pregnancy, associated with a review of the literature.

Results: Six twin pregnancies with this condition were identified. The main studied criteria are: foetal growth of the pump twin, congestive heart failure, resistance index of the umbilical arteries, ductus venosus Doppler and middle cerebral artery peak velocity. There was no consensus concerning the method of ultrasonographic monitoring.

Discussion and conclusion: According to our study and the literature, our management must take into account the ratio of (or the difference in) resistance indices between the twins, the middle cerebral artery peak velocity, the tricuspid regurgitation and the ratio of abdominal circumferences of the two twins.