[Dermatoglyphics in families with Potter type III polycystic kidney degeneration].

Several dermatoglyphic studies of patients suffering from genetically determined disorders which are not manifest at birth, indicate an early direct or indirect influence of the causative factors on the formation of dermatoglyphics. On the basis of these observations the present study gives an analysis of the quantitative and qualitative dermatoglyphic characteristics of fingers, palms and soles, as well as body and head measurements and morphological traits of the head and face of nine patients with adult polycystic kidney disease (APCD) type III and of their first and second degree relatives. No malformations nor any significant variation of these variables were observed, i.e. no differences were recorded between patients and controls or patients and their healthy relatives. Yet some interesting trends appeared in dermatoglyphic ridge counts when special methods for intrafamilial comparison were applied. Thus, APCD type III ridge counts on fingers and palms were somewhat lower when plotted against their mid-parent values than those of their healthy sibs. Nevertheless, only studies of additional family material may permit the conclusion that such a constellation is due to type III APCD, and not merely a spurious finding.