Dermatoglyphic findings in 54 triple-X females and a review of some general principles applying to the soles in sex chromosome aneuploidy.

Abstract

The dermatoglyphic findings from 54 females with XXX sex chromosomes are reported. Sole prints were available for study in 33 cases. Compared with female controls, an excess of radial loops and arches and a reduced mean for total finger ridge-count were the main peculiarities on the fingers. On the palms, the absence of pattern in areas I and II, and wider ridges in the a-b interval were characteristics observed. Prevous findings by other authors with respect to: (1) zygodactylous tendency in the palms, (2) tendency for the ridge width to increase with the number of sex chromosomes, and (3) greater effect of an extra X chromosome in pattern size reduction but lesser influence on ridge width than an additional Y chromosome, were confirmed. On the soles, pattern intensity was above the control average. There was a significant deficit of proximal loops in area III but excess of proximal V together with triradius H. Triradius p" and zygodactylous z' were also significantly reduced in frequency. General findings with respect to the soles of patients with X,XXX,XXY, and XYY sex chromosomal abnormalities are also reviewed. Discrepancies are apparent and further studies are needed. Finally, a dictionary (Appendices 1 and 2) is provided which gives the frequencies of the complete pattern configurations on the palms and soles of XXX females.