[Relationship between dermatoglyphic variability and finger length in genetic disorders: Down's syndrome].

Palmar and digital dermatoglyphics were compared in Down's syndrome patients with that in a control sample from a population. All dermatoglyphic changes characteristic of Down's syndrome were confirmed. The ridge counts along digital midlines were significantly lower in Down patients as compared to control data, especially, in little fingers, which corresponds to finger shortening in Down's syndrome. The findings agree with a suggestion that digital growth in man could be controlled by morphogenetic gradients which may be altered in genetic disorders.