Dermatoglyphics: a study of finger tip patterns in bronchial asthma and its genetic disposition

Finger tip patterns of sixty patients of Bronchial Asthma were compared with that of 50 control cases. Higher frequency of whorls was observed in first digit of both generations of bronchial asthma patients in comparison to controls. In all digits the frequency of arches was reduced in both generations of bronchial asthma patients as compared to controls. These findings proved highly significant statistically (P valve:<0.001). There was no significant change in finger tip patterns in II, & III digit, but, IV & V digit showed significant reduction in frequency of loops in both generations of bronchial asthma patients as compared to controls. There is scope of more studies in this field and the significant findings can be included as part of clinical picture of bronchial asthma.