Palmar Dermatoglyphics in Essential Hypertension Amongst Rivers Indigenes

This study was carried out to determine the dermatoglyphic pattern associated with essential hypertension (EHP) amongst Rivers State indigenes in Nigeria. Digital and Palmer dermatoglyphic analysis of 50 patients with essential hypertension and 50 normal subjects was carried out. The numbers of male and female subject in each group was 26 and 24 respectively. The parameters investigated included: the Digital patterns, Digital ridge court, DAT angle, ATD angle, position of T-triradius, A - B palmer ridge count and Palmer crease pattern. The result showed that the percentage frequency of whorl digital pattern in both male and female EHP was higher than Normal males and females and whorls on the right hand were strongly associated with EHP with the first right digit of males and females showing percentage occurrence of 100% and 80.77% respectively. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in both ATD and DAT angles in the right hands of patients with essential hypertension and normal subjects in both male and female. However, significant difference (p<0.05) was found in the ATD and DAT angles of the left hand of male EHP and normal subjects. The total digital ridge count was greater than 1000 in patients with EHP but less than 1000 in the control group. Percentage frequencies of position of T-triradii and palmar crease patterns showed no significant difference (p>0.05). The study has shown that EHP presents characteristic dermatoglyphic features which include: high frequency of whorl pattern and total digital ridge count of 1000 and above.This could be used for early diagnosis of the diseases.