Comparison of the number of A-B ridge counts in dermatoglyphics between consanguineous and non-consanguineous families

Abstract

Background: Consanguineous marriages increase the probability of inheriting identical alleles from both parents, which raises the likelihood of hereditary disorders. Researchers use dermatoglyphic techniques as part of a broad approach to diagnose genetic diseases and some syndromes related to finger patterns. This method has also been utilized in research on conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or other non-hereditary disorders. Although dermatoglyphics can be an additional tool for studying genetic disorders, it is not commonly used to diagnose most genetic disorders associated with consanguinity. Biochemical analysis and genetic mutation tests remain the primary diagnostic tools, which is the basis for conducting this study. Aim: To investigate whether the number of A-B ridge counts on fingerprints is a distinctive characteristic among family members of consanguineous and unrelated families. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using a case-control design, including 176 participants from June to October 2024. A total of 47 participants from 32 families with confirmed consanguinity, based on genealogical methods, were included in the case group, while 129 participants from unrelated families were included in the control group. Results: There was a significant difference in the A-B ridge counts between the consanguineous and unrelated groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results, the dermatoglyphic method could be a useful tool for diagnosing genetic disorders caused by consanguinity in family members. For clinical application, additional evaluations of fingerprint and palm print frequency, pattern intensity, the Dankmeijer index, the Furuhata index, and dermatoglyphic characteristics such as “atd”, “dat”, and “tda” angles should be considered.