Mean Atd Research Articles

Palmar dermatoglyphics in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia – A preliminary investigation

Background Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant disease of as yet an unknown origin. Researchers in the past have studied the association between dermatoglyphic features in the hand and congenital diseases and diseases with genetic influences. Objective The present research is intended to study the association between acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and palmar dermatoglyphic characteristics to assess the value of dermatoglyphics as a screening tool to detect leukemia in high risk groups. Methods Case-control study conducted at the department of Pediatrics, KMC Attavara, a tertiary care teaching hospital of Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore (Manipal University), India during 2006. Twenty-four children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia were included in the study. The dermatoglyhic features (ab– ridge count, atd, tda and dat angles) of their palm prints were compared with the age and sex matched controls. Results The present research indicates an association between dermatoglyphic features and ALL. The mean ab–ridge count, and the mean atd – angle were observed to be higher in cases while the mean tda – angle was found to be lower in cases than controls. Conclusions The findings of the present research are suggestive of a possible trend and an association of dermatoglyphic features with children suffering from ALL. Similar studies can be useful in rare forensic case work where the association of dermatoglyphic features with certain diseases is to be explored.

A study on the dermatoglyphic patterns of Okrika and Ikwerre ethnic groups of Nigeria

This study was carried out to compare the dermatoglyphic patterns of Okrika and Ikwerre ethnic groups. Dermatoglyphic analysis of five hundred and ten (510) subjects comprising of two hundred and seventy nine (279) Okrika indigenes and two hundred and thirty one (231) Ikwerre indigenes between the ages of 15- 70 years was carried out. The sample population was drawn at random from the University of Port Harcourt and National Secondary School Okrika. The parameters studied are the digital pattern, atd and dat angles. The result revealed that the ulnar loop had the highest occurrence, followed by the whorl, arches and radial loops. The percentage frequency distribution of the digital pattern of the ulnar loop for Okrika was 46.42%, whorl 37.77%, arch 14.12% and radial loops 1.71% while for Ikwerre the ulnar loop was 56.46%, whorl 24.42%, arch 15.89% and radial loop 3.23%. The pattern intensity index for Okrika was 11.69 while that of Ikwerre was 10.91.The mean atd angle for Okrika was 43.98 for the left hand and 43.75 for the right hand while for Ikwerre was 42.68 for the left hand and 41.69 for the right hand. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the digital pattern and atd angles between the two ethnic groups. The mean of the dat angles for Okrika was 60.36 for the left hand and 60.33 for the right hand. That of Ikwerre was 57.41 for the left hand and 57.76 for the right hand. There was however a significant difference between the dat angles of both ethnic groups (P

Dermatoglyphics in idiopathic (primary) dilated cardiomyopathy in South Southern Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine any dermatoglyphic pattern associated with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in South Southern Nigeria. Digital and palmar dermatoglyphic analysis of 49 patients with primary Idiopathic (primary) dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) and 49 normal subjects from Kalabari ethnic group of Rivers State were carried out. The numbers of male and female subjects in each group were 27 and 22 respectively. It involved the digital patterns, ATD angle, DAT angle and ridge count. The results showed that on the right digits of males there was no significant difference (zero) in the digital patterns between the IDC and normal subject (p > 0.05) while on the left hand, IDC patients showed significantly higher whorl pattern (81.48%) on the first digit than the normal subjects (39.63%) (p < 0.05). Radial loop was observed on the second left digit of male IDC patients while no such pattern was observed on any of the digits of the normal male subjects. In females, arch pattern was observed on the second and third right digits of the IDC patients but absent in normal subjects. Also whorl pattern was observed on the 5th right and left digits of IDC patients with percentages of 18.18 and 36.36% respectively. This was however absent in normal female subjects. On the right palm of male IDC patients the mean ATD angle (39.22o) was significantly smaller than the mean ATD angle (41.29o) of the normal male subjects (p < 0.05).Similarly, significant differences were observed on left palm. Amongst female subjects also there was a significant difference (p<0.05). Significant difference was observed in the mean total ridge count of the male IDC and normal subjects (369.3 and 429.1 respectively) (p < 0.05). There was however no difference between the female IDC and normal subjects. The study has shown that IDC presents characteristic dermatoglyphic features which could be used for early diagnosis of the disease. Key words: Dermatoglyphics, Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Quantitative Dermatoglyphic Variation among Five Reddi Populations of Southern Andhra Pradesh

Bilateral finger and palm prints of 1000 Reddi males, 200 each of five endogamous groups namely Pokanati (PNR), Pedakanti (PKR), Panta (PTR), Akuthota(ATR) and Palle (PLR), were studied for eight quantitative dermatoglyphic traits. The finger pattern intensity index (FPII) ranging from 12.74 (PNR) to 13.79 (PTR) shows higher values for right hands of all populations. With regard to mean ridge counts (RCs and SRCs) no clear trend is observed. The mean TFRC (132.81) and AFRCs (177.59) are higher in the PTR and PKR respectively. Transversality of ridges on right palms was found to be more as indicated by their uniformly and significantly higher main line index (MLI) values. The bilateral differences for a-b ridge count are insignificant. The five Reddi groups do not show considerable variation in the mean atd angle, the bilaterality being significant with the exception of ATR. F-Values for all traits were calculated to understand the between and within population variations. The distance calculated according to Mahalanobis D 2 between PLR and PKR was found to be more (0.1148) compared to the rest of the pairs of populations. The minimal cluster is formed between PTR and ATR showing lesser within cluster variability.

Closed, Locked Intramedullary Nailing of Pediatric Femoral Shaft Fractures Through the Tip of the Greater Trochanter

Closed femoral nailing is universally accepted as the treatment of choice in almost all diaphyseal femoral fractures in adults. Numerous authors reported favorable results applying the same surgical technique in the adolescent patient group. Nevertheless, reports of complications such as avascular necrosis and alteration of the proximal femoral anatomy have dampened the initial enthusiasm. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the possible effect of closed intramedullary nailing through the greater trochanter on the proximal femoral anatomy. We report the results of intramedullary nailing in 20 skeletally immature patients (13 men and 7 women) with a mean age of 14.4 years (range, 11-16 years). All were treated with closed, reamed, percutaneously performed nailing, using the tip of the greater trochanter as the nail insertion point. The patients were followed for 29 months in average (range, 19-37 months). No major complication (limb length discrepancy, avascular necrosis, coxa valga) occurred during the observation period. All fractures healed clinically and radiographically within 9 weeks in average (8-13 weeks) and all patients returned to the preinjury activity level. The mean ATD difference was 1.10 +/- 3.51 (range, -5-7 mm, 95% CI -0,54/2,74, p = 0.177). The mean LTA distance difference was 0.3 mm (range, -6-5 mm, p = 0.158), the mean femoral length difference was 1.9 mm (-9-12 mm, p = 0.122) and the overall limb length difference was 1.4 mm (-25-20 mm, p = 0.178). The mean neck-shaft angle difference was 0.20 +/- 1.74 (range, -3-4, p = 0.612) and the mean neck width was 0.60 +/- 1.50 (range, -3-3, p = 0.09). Fourteen nails (70%) were removed within 13 months in average (range, 10-18 months) without any complications. This study showed that with strict adherence to a surgical technique that respects the growing proximal femur and its vascular anatomy, using the tip of the greater trochanter as an entry point to the femoral canal, the proven advantages of closed, intramedullary nailing can safely be offered to the adolescent patient population as well.

Palmar and digital dermatoglyphic traits of Kenyan and Tanzanian subjects

Dermatoglyphic traits, along with other morphological, molecular and biochemical markers have traditionally been used in biological anthropology to explore affinities and differences among human groups. We carried out a cross-sectional study of healthy able-bodied volunteers of indigenous Kenyan and Tanzanian subjects to establish their palmar and digital dermatoglyphic traits, by counting and classifying their ridge pattern configurations of arches, loops, whorls and ridges based on standard techniques. Ulnar loops were the most prevalent digital ridge patterns and arches were the least in our samples with significant sex differences exhibited in arches, ulnar loops and whorls (P < 0.05). Similarly, men had significantly higher TFRC than women in Kenyans (P < 0.001), while Tanzanians showed no sex difference (P < 0.5). Women, however, had higher PII than men in Kenyans but the reverse was true in Tanzanians. In both groups, men showed significantly higher mean a-b ridge counts than women (P < 0.001, Kenyans; < 0.01, Tanzanians), and women showed greater mean atd angles than men (P > 0.5). The TFRC, atd angle and a-b ridge count were significantly different between Kenyans and Tanzanians (P < 0.001). This study documents probably for the first time the normal and comparative dermatoglyphic traits of two East African populations, indicating that Tanzanians are dermatoglyphically closer to Malawians than Kenyans.

Dermatoglyphics in juvenile hypertension

Dermatoglyphics of 172 children and young adults (116 males, 56 females) with hypertension, 13-27 years old, were compared with those of 130 healthy male and 110 female controls. Several differences were observed between the two groups. Hypertensive patients had a somewhat lower frequency of fingertip ulnar loops, higher frequency whorls and a higher total finger ridge count. They also had a somewhat higher mean atd angle, significantly more frequent distal position of the axial triradius (mostly in t' position) and more missing axial triradii compared to controls. The differences between a-b ridge counts, the interdigital, thenar and hypothenar patterns were generally small and sometimes limited to one sex or one hand only. The observed differences seem to indicate a genetic influence in the etiology of essential hypertension.