Abstract
BackgroundRecent case–control studies have shown an association between type 3 finger length pattern (longer ring finger than index finger) and knee osteoarthritis. This large cross-sectional study tests the hypothesis that the type 3 pattern is associated with total joint replacements due to osteoarthritis in a large population based study.MethodsFinger length ratios were assessed visually on 5170 hand photographs (2975 females, 2195 males, mean age 76). In this population-based multidisciplinary study of aging in Reykjavik, Iceland, the prevalence of osteoarthritis associated total knee replacements was 223(4.3%) and total hip replacements 316(6.1%). We then performed a binary logistic regression analysis for total knee replacements and total hip replacements, including finger length patterns, osteoarthritis at other sites and other variables with possible association to osteoarthritis such as age, BMI and bone mineral density of the spine.ResultsThe prevalence of the type 3 pattern was 50% (43% in females, 58% in males). The regression analysis revealed an odds ratio for total knee replacements of 1.65 (1.24-2.2) p = 0.0007, in the type 3 finger pattern group, similar in both genders. This association was independent of the associations we have previously reported between total knee replacements and BMI and the presence of hand osteoarthritis. No association was seen between finger length patterns and total hip replacements.ConclusionFinger length patterns read from digital photographs in this large study confirm previous radiographic observations with significant associations between the type 3 pattern and total knee replacements but not total hip replacements in both genders in this elderly group.
Highlights
Recent case–control studies have shown an association between type 3 finger length pattern and knee osteoarthritis
The index to ring finger length ratio (2D:4D ratio) is a sexually dimorphic trait, men tend to have a longer ring finger than index finger, while in women the fingers are more equal in length [2]
There is evidence that low 2D:4D ratio is a reflection of prenatal androgen exposure and the ratio functions as a surrogate marker for androgen exposure in utero [3,4]
Summary
Recent case–control studies have shown an association between type 3 finger length pattern (longer ring finger than index finger) and knee osteoarthritis. This large cross-sectional study tests the hypothesis that the type 3 pattern is associated with total joint replacements due to osteoarthritis in a large population based study. Type 3 finger pattern (longer ring finger than index finger) has been shown to be associated with several masculine characteristics such as achievement in sports and athletics [5,6,7,8], sperm counts [2], family size [9] and stock handling ability [10]. Type 3 finger pattern has been associated with various medical conditions such as autism [11], ADHD [12] and prostate cancer [13,14]
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