title: Dermatoglyphics in patients with schizophrenia--findings in the Macedonian population.
abstract: The human palms and soles are textured with skin different to that of the other body surface. Instead of sebaceous glands or hairs, there are sweat glands opening into epidermal ridges. They are variously oriented, thus forming different patterns. The aim of the study was to assess some dermatoglyphic patterns, the TRC and the a-b ridge count in a sample of patients and a control group of healthy examinees.
  
  
  METHODS
  59 male and 50 female patients with schizophrenia and 60 healthy male and 50 female individuals as a control group were included in the study. Hand prints were taken using the method of Cummins and Midlo; pattern types were determined and classified using the Henry classification. An analysis of pattern frequency in schizophrenia compared to the normal controls was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patterns most frequently present are loops (ulnar) with greater incidence and whorls with smaller incidence in patients with schizophrenia compared to the healthy individuals. The number of arches is higher in male patients and lower in female patients. Complex patterns are rare. TRC in females has lower values found in patients. The a-b ridge count has significant difference in male and female patients; higher values in male and lower in female patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is some association between the frequency of certain dermatoglyphic characteristicss and schizophrenia. Our findings form a useful database for the dermatoglyphic marks present in patients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects of Macedonian nationality.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Skopje, R. Macedonia.
authors.forename: Elizabeta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chadikovska
authors.forename: Dobrila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lazarova
authors.forename: Biljana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zafirova
authors.forename: Biljana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trpkovska
authors.forename: Julija
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhivadinovik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D005528:Foot / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006225:Hand / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*