Analysis of the dermatoglyphics of patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Dermatoglyphics outside the normal distribution may be signal of hereditary anomaly in prenatal period. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is defined as the suspension of breathing for 10 seconds or more. Genetic predisposition can be suggesated in the OSAS. The aim of this study is to assess through dermatoglyphics whether genetic factors are effective in OSAS because skin glyphs and pharyngeal are originate from ectoderm. Our study was conducted with 134 volunteers, 68 (21 females, 47 males) individuals with OSAS and 66 (21 females, 48 males) healthy individuals. The photographs of the palms and fingertips of the right and left hands of the participants were taken with high definition cameras. These images were enlarged with computer and their dermatoglyphics were assessed. Fingertip loop types, total number of fingertip lines, total a-b line numbers and atd angles were assessed in healthy individuals and patients with OSAS. We found a statistically significant difference between the right and left hand atd values of healthy individuals and individuals with OSA. atd values can be used as an early indicator of OSAS.