Dermatoglyphics in Darier's disease

Background. Darier's disease is an acantholytic dyskeratotic genodermatosis with autosomal dominant inheritance. A predictive diagnostic marker for this disorder would be beneficial because of the relatively late onset and the large number of sporadic cases of the disease. The dermatoglyphic features of patients with Darier's disease were examined to determine whether they have a common pattern. Methods. Ink prints of fingers and palms obtained from 11 patients of both sexes with sporadic and familial Darier's disease were analyzed and compared with those of normal subjects. Results. No significant quantitative or qualitative differences were found between the dermatoglyphic features of our patients and those of a healthy population, except for punctate interruptions of the skin ridges that indicate pitting, a well-known manifestation of Darier's disease. Conclusions. These results refute the conclusions of a previous publication claiming that there is a common characteristic dermatoglyphic feature in patients with this dermatosis.