title: Dermatoglyphics in patients with eczema, psoriasis and alopecia areata.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study of patterns of fingerprints is important in anthropology and medical genetics, chiefly because of their diagnostic usefulness. In the present work, we studied the frequencies of various types of skin ridges of the first phalanx in patients with eczema, psoriasis and alopecia areata.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double-blind case-control study, we determined the frequencies of fingerprints in 551 patients (240 cases with eczema, 164 cases with psoriasis and 147 cases with alopecia areata) as well as in general population of Hamadan City (control group: 188 males and 529 females). We compared the frequencies between various fingers, hands and sexes in all three case groups as well as between case groups and control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequencies of various types of fingerprints are presented in some tables. The results showed that frequencies are not statistically different according to types of fingers, hands (left or right) and sexes as well. But they are significantly different in various case groups and between case groups and control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We can conclude that frequencies of various patterns of skin ridges differ in eczema, psoriasis and alopecia areata from normal population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, Medical School, Hamadan, Iran, Department of Genetics and Anthropology, Faculty of Health, Tehran, Iran. h_pourjafari@yahoo.com
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pour-Jafari
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Farhud
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yazdani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashemzadeh Chaleshtori
mesh_terms: D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004485:Eczema / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000473:pathology*