Diagnosis of zygosity by questionnaire and polymarker polymerase chain reaction in young twins

We developed a zygosity questionnaire for use in young twins and assessed i ts validity using the results of DNA diagnosis. The participants were divid ed into two groups: 105 pairs of adolescent twins (12-16 years old), 47 pai rs of child twins (2-12 years old), and their respective parents. The DNA d iagnosis of zygosity was made with polymarker polymerase chain reaction (PC R) amplification of five loci, using the AmpliType PM PCR Amplification and Typing Kit; this method has an accuracy rate of 99.0%. A parsimonious mode l for each sample was established using stepwise logistic regression analys is of the 20 items of the questionnaire. The total accuracy rate of the mod el was satisfactory for both parental reports (three items) and self-report s (three items) of adolescent twins (97.4 and 95.6%, respectively), while t hat for parental reports on child twins (two items) was less satisfactory ( 92.5%). For adolescent twins, if DNA diagnostic workups were limited to tho se with discordant reports either from themselves or from their parents, th e accuracy rate increased to 100% for parental reports and 98% for self-rep orts.