Dermatoglyphic analysis of primary and secondary cleft palate patients

No significant differences are found among the different groups. Some of the observed minor differences between the cleft and the control groups may be the result of sampling error. Our findings are not surprising because our cleft patients have no other congenital anomalies. Indeed aberrant dermatoglyphic patterns are found mainly in generalized dysmorphogenesis, such as in chromosomal syndromes, rather than in isolated congenital malformations, exception being made of course for congenital malformations of the hand itself.