The uses of dermatoglyphics in kidney diseases: a systematic review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Kidney disease causes significant global burden with high mortality and morbidity. Dermatoglyphic has been used as a non- invasive diagnostic tool to detect or predict different medical conditions that has foetal origin. However, a scarce number of studies have evaluated a dermatoglyphic relationship in different kidney diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to systematically identify, review and appraise literature and evaluate the association of different dermatoglyphic variables with different types of kidney diseases. METHODS: This review is reported according to PRISMA checklist. The PubMed, POPLINE, Cochrane Library, Trip Database, OpenGrey and Google Scholar databases were searched to earliest date to 17 April 2014. Of the 36 relevant publications, 15 (5 case reports, 7 cases series and 3 comparative studies) were included in the review. RESULTS: Possible association of dermatoglyphic with Wilms tumor (WT) had been evaluated in 2 comparative studies and one case series and found low occurrence of whorls and total ridge count (TRC). Another study evaluated adult polycystic kidney disease (APCD) which revealed lower TRC in cases. All other studies described dermatoglyphics in various kidney diseases without any significant associations. CONCLUSIONS: It is evident that whorl pattern and TRC have been used to investigate the uncertainty related to origin of several kidney diseases, such as, WT and APCD type III. However, limited sample size and/or inconsistency between cases and control groups confines interpretation of any significant findings. Future dermatoglyphics studies with proper protocols and adequate sample sizes may provide stronger evidence to resolve uncertainty related to the etiology of kidney diseases.