HAND DERMATOGLYPHICS IN PATIENTS WITH ISO LATED TRIPHALANGEAL THUMBS IN HOLT-ORAM SYNDROME

A comparative analysis of dermatoglyphic prints of patients with the H olt-Gram syndrome and isolated triphalangeal thumbs was performed with control dermatoglyphics. A specific feature of the syndrome is a chan ge in the main palmar lines and their termination on the radial border of the hand not only in the absence of the thumb bur also in the case of formation of the abortive T-line, its radiants, and the axial trir adius. This trait may be considered diagnostic for the Holt-Gram syndr ome, Cases of triphalangeal thumbs with preaxial polydactyly do not re veal significant changes in dermatoglyphic patterns and appear to resu lt from partial duplication of the thumb. An isolated triphalangeal th umb may be the result of an atavistic development of homeotic transfor mation of the thumb.