Dermatoglyphic Characteristics of the Korean Patients with Numeral Aberrations of Chromosome

Chung, Min Suk; Kim, Yi Suk; Kim, Hyon Ju; Sohn, Hyun Joon; Han, Heon Seok

Abstract

Dermatoglyphics (fingerprints, palmprints, and palm creases) are helpful in early diagnosis of numeral aberrations of chromosome, each of which has specific dermatoglyphic characteristics. In this study, for early diagnosis of numeral aberrations of chromosome in the Korean population, the dermatoglyphic characteristics of the Korean patients who had various numeral aberrations of chromosome were compared with those of the normal Korean people. The hands of 28 Korean patients, who were previously diagnosed to have numeral aberrations of chromosome (24 Down, 1 Turner, 2 Klinefelter, and 1 cri du chat syndromes) by karyotyping, were imprinted to the paper using watersoluble ink; their dermatoglyphic characteristics were analyzed, and compared with those of 3,216 normal Korean people. In fingerprints of the patients with Down syndrome, ulnar loop pattern was frequent whereas whorl pattern was infrequent, which was more prominent in Mongolian than in Caucasian. In palmprints of the patients with Down syndrome, distances not only between a and b but also between b and c were short; and D was frequently found to traverse the palm. In palm creases of the patients with Down syndrome, palm creases were frequently found to join together; and the total degree of transversality of the normal and simian creases was high whereas that of the Sydney crease was low. In fingerprints of the patients with Turner (XO) and Kinefelter (XXY) syndromes, the X chromosome count was inversely proportional to the total ridge count. These results showed that there is a close relationship between dermatoglyphics and numeral aberrations of chromosome in the Korean population. In order to use dermatoglyphics as a more helpful diagnostic tool, dermatoglyphics of the more patients with numeral aberrations of chromosome should be analyzed using various methods.