The Role of Palmar Dermatoglyphics in Preventive and Diagnostic Medicine: A Review

The study of the patterns of the epidermal ridges of the finger, palm, and sole can help screen a variety of diseases, especially those caused by chromosomal aberrations, which are frequently accompanied by pattern distortion, as well as other genetically and non-genetically determined diseases. This review aimed to elucidate the potential role of dermatoglyphics as a screening tool in clinical medicine. Relevant literature was searched using the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to assess peer-reviewed articles using a combination of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. Although the exact mechanism of inheritance is unknown, dermatoglyphic patterns are thought to be genetically controlled which explains their unique significance as a perfect marker for individual identification and population studies, as well as the detection of abnormalities caused by intra-uterine anomalies in the early weeks of pregnancy. Studies have linked dermatoglyphic variations to chromosomal disorders and predisposition to certain diseases hence accentuating the possible role of palmar dermatoglyphics in the prevention and diagnosis of a variety of medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, schizophrenia, sickle cell disease, autism, and Down syndrome. This review therefore explores the significance of palmar dermatoglyphics in early disease detection, risk assessment, and personalized medicine, highlighting its potential as a non-invasive, cost-effective tool in clinical practice.

Key Words: Dermatoglyphics, Medicine, Genetics, Diseases, Diagnosis