Birthweight Differences in Adolescent Monozygotic Twins Influence Androgens, Psychological Morbidity, and Health-Related Quality of Life

Schmitz L, Schulte S, Stoffel-Wagner B, Bartmann P, Plamper M, Schreiner F, Wölfle J, Gohlke B (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Hormone Research in Paediatrics Karger

DOI: 10.1159/000512653

Abstract

Background: Adverse prenatal conditions can exert a long-lasting impact in later life. Patients and Methods: Thirty-eight post-pubertal monozygotic twin pairs (16 female pairs) with divergent birthweight (bw) due to twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome were examined at a median of 15.1 years. Auxological and endocrine parameters were measured. To evaluate effects of intra-twin bw and hormone differences on mental health, adolescents and their parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), identifying psychological problems. Twins answered the questionnaire on health-related quality of life (HrQoL, KIDSCREEN-52). Results: Parents attributed a higher number of psychological challenges to the formerly smaller twins, for example, total difficulties (8.8 vs. 6.5, p = 0.009). Differences in bw were associated with differences in parental evaluation of problems, for example, peer relationship problems (r = -0.57 and p = 0.0001). In contrast, bw differences did not affect subjects' self-assessment of psychological factors but on physical well-being (r = 0.42, p = 0.017). The formerly smaller discordant twins showed significantly lower HrQoL regarding psychological well-being (24.9 vs. 26.6, T1,15 = -2.2, and p = 0.043) and moods and emotions (29.8 vs. 32.0, T1,15 = -2.3, p = 0.039). Higher concentrations of androstenedione were linked to greater psychological well-being (r = 0.39 and p = 0.036) in all twin pairs. Conclusion: Our results show that the prenatal environment leading to bw differences exerts a long-lasting impact on diverging parental evaluation of mental health. Formerly smaller discordant twins showed significantly lower HrQoL regarding psychological well-being and moods and emotions. Higher androstenedione concentrations were linked to greater psychological well-being.

Authors with CRIS profile

Joachim Wölfle Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Bonn DE Germany (DE) Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Schmitz, L., Schulte, S., Stoffel-Wagner, B., Bartmann, P., Plamper, M., Schreiner, F.,... Gohlke, B. (2021). Birthweight Differences in Adolescent Monozygotic Twins Influence Androgens, Psychological Morbidity, and Health-Related Quality of Life. Hormone Research in Paediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1159/000512653

MLA:

Schmitz, Lioba, et al. "Birthweight Differences in Adolescent Monozygotic Twins Influence Androgens, Psychological Morbidity, and Health-Related Quality of Life." Hormone Research in Paediatrics (2021).

BibTeX: Download