DERMATOGLYPHIC STUDY OF BETA THALASSEMIA IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL – A CASE CONTROL STUDY
BACKGROUND: The term “thalassemia” was coined by Whipple and Bradford in 1932, in their classical paper of pathology of the condition. Thalassemia is a heterogenous group of genetic disorder affecting haemoglobin synthesis which results from a reduced rate of production of one or more globin chains of haemoglobin. AIM: The current study will try to find out the dermatoglyphic correlation between thalassemic children and children not having thalassemia in respect of gender as well as bilateral asymmetry. METHODS: The sample for the present case control study was collected from Thalassemia unit, under Paediatric department at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. Among 204 individuals- 102 are cases, who are diagnosed Beta Thalassemia patients up to 12 yrs of age and 102 are normal children upto 12yrs of age taken as control groups. Among 102 in each case and control groups, 51 are male and 51 are female individuals. RESULT: Association of control male and Beta thalassemic male vs. Triradial count right was statistically significant (p<0.0001). Association of control male and Beta thalassemic male vs. Triradial count left was statistically significant (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: In female thalassemia patients, there was complete absence of radial loops. But, significant lower incidence of radial loops of left hand was observed in male Beta thalassemics than the control group.