Study of palmar dermatoglyphics in vitiligo and normal individuals

Abstract

Background & Objective: Vitiligo is a common idiopathic & hereditary disease characterized by one or more patches of de-pigmented skin due to degeneration or disappearance of cutaneous melanocytes. Variations in dermatoglyphic pattern are noted in many genetic & hereditary disorders. Altered dermatoglyphics pattern is well established as a diagnostic aid in such disorders. Early diagnosis is also possible. Therefore this Study was conducted to analyse dermatoglyphic patterns in Vitiligo cases & their deviations from normal individuals & to find out any existence of specific dermatoglyphic pattern in Vitiligo cases. Method: Study conducted across 100 Vitiligo cases and 100 normal individuals. Finger tips and palmar prints were studied. Result: Finger tips pattern of Vitiligo males showed increased loop patterns on 2nd, 3rd & 4th finger tips of both hands. There is an overall highly significant diminution in whorl pattern in hands of males. Arch pattern is shown in all finger tips of female cases exceedingly .The main line formula evidenced in Vitiligo cases is 7 6 5’ & while as reference sample 11 9 7 in both sexes. Distal displacement of axial triradius is increased significantly in left hands of female cases. ATD angle is reduced significantly in male vitiligo cases. Classical distribution formula for palmar pattern frequency is altered as the pattern frequency is increased in hypothenar & ID2 of right hands of vitiligo males while as hypothenar & ID1 in right hands of vitiligo females. Conclusion: Deviations in dermatoglyphic pattern might be a marker for individual diagnosis of vitiligo & a simple & inexpensive means to determine the disease which have hereditary background & can be employed as a method for screening Vitiligo.

Keywords

• Dermatoglyphics
• Vitiligo
• deviations
• loops
• arch
• whorl