1. Palmar Dermatoglyphics In Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Sangita S Babu, B.P. Powar, O.N. Khare
R.D. Gardi Medical College Ujjain (MP)
Abstract: Studies were conducted in 100 patients of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and various dermatoglyphics param-
eters such as ‘atd angle, finger print pattern, absolute finger ridge count and total finger ridge count were calculated.
These parameters of study group were compared to those of controls. It was observed that the whorl pattern (56.6%) were
pre-dominant with a decrease in loop pattern (32.1%) when compared those of controls and the difference was highly
significant (P< 0.01). The difference in the mean total finger ridge count of the controls and study group was found to be
highly significant (P< 0.02) ; while the difference in mean absolute finger ridge count of the controls and of the patients of
pulmonary tuberculosis was found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). The ‘atd angle had narrowed in the study group
when compared to controls and the difference was highly significant (P<0.02).
Key Words : Palmar prints, tuberculosis, dermatoglyphics, axial triradius.
Introduction (56.6%) were pre-dominant in the study group when
Dermatoglyphics is the study of surface markings compared to controls (23.8% ) which was highly
of the skins, especially of the palmar and plantar significant (P<0.02) while the study group showed a
regions. The study of dermatoglyphics was pioneered decrease in loop pattern (32.1%) while in controls it is
long back by Galton (1892) and it is a simple yet (73.3%) and the difference is highly significant
complicated tool in the study of genetic disorders. The (P<0.01). The arches were very much reduced in the
study of palmar pattern is done especially it provides study group (3.3%) while in the normal population was
a better in sight in to the study of the disease under found to be (11.3%). But these differences were
consideration. statistically in significant (P>0.05)
Tuberculosis, an infectious disease caused by On considering the occurrence of the patterns in
mycobacterium tuberculi is a world wide public health both the palms, the ring finger is having maximum
problem. The purpose of studying dermatoglyphics is percentage of whorls (90%). Thus it can be assumed
to derive a diagnostic criteria from the dermatoglyphic that the most common pattern in pulmonary
point of view. tuberculosis patients is whorls in their ring finger. (refer
Table 1)
Materials And Methods TFRC: Total finger ridge counts is the number of
In the present study 100 patients of pulmonary ridges from the triradius to the core pattern, and is
tuberculosis (sputum +ve) were collected from the counted for all the digits of both hands.
department of TB & Chest. R.D. Gardi Medical College, According to the study of TFRC in normals it was
Ujjain. Diagnosis of the patients were based on their found to be 99.8 + 6.18 and in TB patients 112.4+
detailed history, clinical examination, chest X-ray and 7.36. The mean TFRC is higher in study group and on
confirmed by sputum test. They were matched with statistical analysis the difference was found to be highly
100 healthy subjects, those who are residing in the significant (P<0.02) .( refer Table 2)
same locality and having no family history of AFRC: Absolute finger ridge counts is the ridge
tuberculosis or any other inheritable disease. Finger counting on the tip of all digits of both hands from all
prints and palm prints were taken with the help of the triradi present. Because a whorl is having 2 triradi
printers ink on white paper by ‘ink & paper’ method. there will be 2 counts in whorls. On considering ridge
After that these prints were studied for the pattern counts the ridge count of a whorl is between 11 to 15.
types, total finger ridge count (TFRC), absolute finger The AFRC was calculated in both the normals and
ridge count (AFRC) and ‘atd’ angle with the help of a study group and the value in the normals is 122 + 18.9
hand lens. Student ‘t’ test was applied for statistical while in TB patients it is 180+ 50.6. The differences
analysis of the results. were found to be highly significant (P<0.05).(refer
Table 3)
Observations ‘atd’ angle :- It is the angle found by the axial triradius
The finger print pattern of the pulmonary which is situated near the base of 5th metacarpal and
tuberculosis patients were compared with that of the digital triradi (4 found near the distal border of the
controls. The results obtained were like this: The whorls palm)
J.Anat.Soc. India 54 (2) 1-9 (2005) 64

2. Table 1 : Comparison of finger print patterns in pulmonary tuberculosis & controls ( in % )
Group Patterns Digits
I II III IV V All Digits
Controls N= 100 Whorls 20 21 39 20 19 23.8
Loops 74.5 77 59.5 78.5 77 73.3
Arches 5.5 2 1.5 1.5 6 3.3
T B Patients N=100 Whorls 61 39.5 52.5 90 40 56.6
Loops 36.5 40.5 27.5 7 49 32.1
Arches 2.5 20 20 3 11 11.3
N-Number
Table 2 : Statistical evaluationof mean T F R C + S D in controls & T B Patients
Study groupcategory Study group Mean + S D Controls Mean + S D ‘t’ P value
Pulmonarytuberculosis 112.4 + 7.36 99.8 + 6.18 2.93 **P <0.02
TFRC- Total Finger Ridge Count ‘t’ –student t test value
SD – Standard Deviation ** -Highly significant
Table 3 : Statistical evaluation of mean A F R C in controls & T B Patients
Study groupcategory Study group Mean + S D Controls Mean + S D ‘t’ P value
Pulmonarytuberculosis 180 + 50.6 122 + 18.9 2.40 *P < 0.05
AFRC- Absolute Finger Ridge Count ‘t’ –student t test value
SD – Standard Deviation * - significant
‘atd’ angle in both the hands of the controls and study Binding Protein Gene (Selvaraj P, Narayanan PR and
group were examined and it is observed that in normals Reetha A.M 1999). Significant association has been
43.6 + 5.56 (in degrees) is mean atd angle and in found between IL – 1 Gene clusters and host
study group it is 38+ 3.77 the difference was found to susceptibility to tuberculosis (Bellamy R, Ruwende C,
be highly significant (P<0.02).(refer Table 4) Corrah T , Mc Adam KP, Whittle HC and Hill A.V. 1998).
Analysis of finger tip dermatoglyphics of
Discussion : tuberculosis patients (Geetha Vishwanathan, Meghna
The dermal ridge patterns are formed very early in
Krishnan, Kalyani G.S – Journal of Ecobiology 14(3)
the embryonic period of life; because of that they remain
205-210 (2002) has found 60.6% of whorl patterns,
unchanged during a persons life and is affected by
36.4% loops and 3% arches in tuberculosis patients.
certain abnormalities of early development (Walker
In the present study whorls constituted for 56.6%
1958).
The genetic contribution is one of the causes of loops 32.1% and arch 11.3% for the study group. These
pulmonary tuberculosis. Susceptibility to pulmonary observations can be an additional supports in
tuberculosis in India has been linked to Mannose diagnosis patients of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Table 3 : Statistical evaluation of mean A F R C in controls & T B Patients
Study groupcategory Study group Mean + S D Controls Mean + S D ‘t’ P value
Pulmonarytuberculosis 38.0 + 3.77 43.6 + 5.56 2.64 **P<0.02
SD – Standard Deviation ** -Highly significant
t –student t test value
J.Anat.Soc. India 54 (2) 1-9 (2005) 65

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J.Anat.Soc. India 54 (2) 1-9 (2005) 66