[Constitutional and dermatoglyphic characteristics of children with diabetes mellitus]

A group of Russian children with clinically diagnosed diabetes mellitus were examined using a comprehensive constitutional dermatoglyphic program. Pattern asymmetry was observed in children of both sexes. On the whole the examined population was characterized by reduced incidence of loop patterns and increased incidence of double-delta patterns. In boys the incidence of arches and coils was higher and that of loops lower than in controls, in girls there were no arches and the incidence of radical and ulnar loops was low. Analysis of genetically determined signs, both anthropometric and dermatoglyphic ones, and use of other criteria will help assess the significance of these signs as markers of risk of development of type I diabetes.