Dermatoglyphic analysis of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Dermatoglyphic features on fingers and palms were assayed in 50 male patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and in 36 families (184 family members, 1st degree male relatives). In patients significantly higher occurrence of whorls and arches on finger tips was found. Loops were significantly less frequent when compared to standard population patterns. Decreasing number of palmar patterns was found in AS patients. Distal position of triradius, as well as more frequent occurrence of t', t" make the difference between AS patients and Polish population. Main lines D, C, B, A in AS patients tend to end in areas of lower numbers (9,7,5,4). That makes a significant difference with results obtained from population studies (p less than 0.01). The main line D in the area 9 occurs more frequently in AS patients expressing HLA-B27 antigen than in patients not showing it (p less than 0.01).