title: Qualitative dermatoglyphic traits in brachial plexus palsy.
abstract: It has been considered for many years that the cause of perinatal brachial plexus palsy (PBPP) is excessive lateral traction applied to the fetal head at delivery, in association with anterior shoulder dystocia, but this do not explain all cases of brachial plexus palsy. The incidence found in several family members could be suggestive for inheritance with variable expression. The aim of this study was to prove early found confirmations of genetic predisposition for PBPP In the previous studies, the quantitative dermatoglyphic analysis showed some differences in digito-palmar dermatoglyphs between patients with PBPP and healthy controls. Now this qualitative analysis will try to determine hereditary of those diseases. We analyzed digito-palmar dermatoglyphics from 140 subjects (70 males and 70 females) diagnosed with PBPP and 400 phenotypically healthy adults (200 males and 200 females) from Zagreb area as control group. The results of Chi-square test showed statistically significant differences for frequencies of patterns on fingers in females between the groups observed. Statistically significant differences were found on palms in III and IV interdigital areas in both males and females and in thenar and I interdigital area only in females. As it was found in previous researches on quantitative dermatoglyphic traits, more differences are found between females with PBPP and control group, than between males. The fact, that the main presumed cause of PBPP is obstetrical trauma, it could be associated with congenital variability in formation of brachial plexus.
authors.affiliation: Polyclinic for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation "Prof. dr. M. Stojcević-Polovina", Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Svetislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polovina
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milicić
authors.forename: Miljenko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cvjeticanin
authors.forename: Tajana Polovina
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Proloscić
mesh_terms: D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000235:genetics*; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics