A cross sectional study of dermatoglyphic patterns among type 2 diabetic patients and non-diabetics in Chennai

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is broadly categorized into two: type 1 and type 2. It has been proposed that dermatoglyphics can serve as a supportive and economically feasible tool in the prediction and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus amongst individuals predisposed to developing this disorder. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of the quantitative design. Fingerprint samples of 200 (100 type 2 diabetics & 100 controls) participants of age > 36 years of were obtained and studied. Results and Discussion: Fingerprint distribution patterns of the control group: Ulnar loop - 623 (62.3%), Radial loop - 22 (2.2%), Arch - 123 (12.3%) and Whorl - 232 (23.2%). Fingerprint distribution patterns of the type 2 diabetics: Ulnar loop - 652 (65.2%), Radial loop - 17 (1.7%), Arch - 88 (8.8%) and Whorl - 243 (24.3%). This study observes a statistically significant difference in the fingerprint distribution of arch pattern between the diabetics and non-diabetics overall and in female sex. There is need to conduct larger population-based studies and examination of larger samples to standardize the findings of this study and come to definitive conclusion.