A study of palmar dermatoglyphics and palmar freckles.

A study of palmar dermatoglyphics in genodermatoses was conducted in 219 probands and 100 control subjects by standard ink and roller method, during the period 1977-81 at Government General Hospital, Madras. A study of palmar dermatoglyphics in 20 probands with definite clinical and histopathological evidence of Neurofibromatosis revealed an increased incidence of ulnar loop pattern over the finger tips in both sexes. This digital pattern was not found to be of statistical significance, but a statistically significant reduction in the mean a-b ridge count was observed in female cases. An increased incidence of palmar freckles (60%) was observed as a serendipity while taking the palm prints. Some of the palmar freckles with tiny palpable underlying nodules on histopathological study revealed miniature neurofibroma in the dermis. This serendipity has been recorded as an important clinical sign of neurofibromatosis by the author in her thesis submitted for Doctorate degree in 1981.