Korean J Dermatol.
1979 Jun;17(3):171-176.
Study of Dermatoglyphic Patterns in Leprosy Patients in Korea
Abstract
- Dermatoglyphics has been studied in various diseases including mongolism, ruhella syndrome, congenital heart disease, selected neurologic diseases and other disorders. However, reports of derrnatoglyphic studies in patients with leprosy have not been evcountered a lot. Although Ieprasy is an infectious disease due to the hfycobacterium leprae, the hereditary susceptibility of the host to the organism is proposed as an additional predisposing factor. Thia concept has been proposed to reconcile the low incidence of lisease among large numbers of contacts. Most reports delving into the role of heredity in leprosy have been related ta epidemiological studies. Prasad and Mohamad suggest, on the basis of data related to rnultiple patient families, that the acquisition of leprosy may be determined genetically on the assumption of incomplete dominance of genes; on the other hand, Spickett suggested that if there is any genetic effect, it is but a component af the familial effect. This study of dennatoglyphics in 77 male leprosy patients was undcataken to determine if there might be significance in the analysis of dermal patterns af the hands as related to the hereditary susceptibility of individuals to the disease comparing with those of 234 healthy Korean soldiers. Results are as follows: 1. In the analysis of the total fingertip ridges, there is significant difference (P<0.01) between the leprosy (137.66+4.7) and the control group (152.93+9.50). 2. A aignificant statistical difference between the leprosy and the control group (14.73+2.79) does not exist with respect to the pattern intensity, however that af the borderline group of leprosy (12.00+5.09)is decreased (P<0.025). 3. In the incidence of simian lines, the leprosy group (5.20%) shows lower incidence rate than that of control group (8.98%). 4. As for the a-b ridge count, it is decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the left hand of leprosy group (34.71+0.87) than that of the eontrol group (37.11+0.52), Also there is significant difference(P<0. 05) in the right hands of tuberculoid type of leprosy (34.64+1.38). 5. With respect to the propoetional distance (mm.) between the distal flexion crease of the wrist to the base of the middle finger with the distance (mm.) of the same point of the wrist to the axial triradius, a significant statistical difference between the leprosy and the control group does not exist, but significantly longer distance (mm.) exists in the tuberculoid type of leprosy (P<0.05). 6. No significant fingertip pattern differences are noted between the leprosy and the control group.
