Dermatoglyphics and Cheiloscopy in the Inheritance of Cleft Lip and Palate: Unraveling the Mystery

Abstract

Introduction: Dermatoglyphic and cheiloscopic analysis have been useful in understanding basic questions in biology, medicine, genetics, evolution and forensics. They are now begin ning to prove themselves as an extremely useful tool for preliminary investigations into conditions with a suspected genetic basis. Materials and methods:Case-control type of study consisting of two groups of thirty parents each of cleft lip with/without palate, CL(P) affected children (Group A) and normal children (Group B). Study aims to determine the presence of any dermatoglyphic asymmetry and correlation between finger prints and lip pattern, among the two groups.Prints of all ten fingers were taken by Ink method and recor ded on white paper. Lip patterns were obtained by direct photo graphy of the subjects in natural head position.Results: Chi-square test was done to determine the significance of occurrence of different patterns among the two study groups.Increased dermatoglyphic asymmetry with higher ulnar loop patterns was seen in Group A. Whorl patterns were increased in Group B.An increase in type I (straight grooves) and II (branches) in Group A and type III (intersected lines) in Group B was seen in lip patterns. Conclusion:A highly significant correlation was observed in finger prints and lip patterns in parents with CL(P) affected children and hence can prove to be an extremely useful screening tool for CL(P) and other associated genetic anomalies.