Dermatoglyphic fluctuating asymmetry and total a-b ridge count as biomarkers of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome: Analysis in children adopted from Eastern Europe.

BACKGROUND: Dermatoglyphics, formed mainly during the second trimester of pregnancy have been used as markers of developmental disturbances. The aim of this study was to examine if dermatoglyphic variation in children adopted from Eastern European countries with differential prenatal alcohol exposure, could be associated with diagnosis of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). METHODS: Total a-b ridge count (TABRC), total ATD angle (TATD), palpebral fissure asymmetry and fluctuating asymmetry of the a-b ridge count (FAABRC) and ATD angle (FAATD) were obtained from NO FASD (n = 40) and FASD (n = 145; FAS = 54, pFAS = 64; ARND = 13; ARBD = 14) individuals. NO FASD and FASD subgroups were statistically compared for dermatoglyphic variables. Correlations between dermatoglyphics and FASD diagnosis were also performed. RESULTS: TABRC showed significantly higher values in foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS, p = 0.006) and partial FAS (pFAS, p = 0.040) groups compared to NO FASD controls. Similar results were obtained for TATD (FAS, p = 0.015 and pFAS, p = 0.032) compared to controls. Significantly higher values in FAS, pFAS and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND) groups were observed for FAABRC (p = 0.034, p = 0.007, p = 0.007 respectively) and for FAATD in FAS group (p = 0.014) compared to NO FASD. Additionally, FAS group with mean + 2SD in palpebral fissure asymmetry showed statistical significance compared to NO FASD (p = 0.018). Dermatoglyphic variables also correlated (rho, Spearman) significantly with FASD diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Dermatoglyphic pattern and FASD are related. The validation of dermatoglyphics as an associated marker with FASD together with the currently diagnostic tools would help clinicians to an early FASD diagnosis in children.

Dermatoglyphics in children prenatally exposed to alcohol: Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) as a biomarker of alcohol exposure.

BACKGROUND: Dermatoglyphics alterations have been demonstrated to be an effective complement in the diagnosis of developmental disorders and a marker of prenatal stress. Several genetic and environmental factors can modify their morphology. Once defined, dermatoglyphics remain constant throughout life, being considered fossilized markers of the intrauterine development. Variations in bilateral morphological traits within an individual reflect developmental disturbances and can be measured by fluctuating asymmetry. The aim of this study was to evaluate if dermatoglyphic variations can be used as a surrogate marker prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) during foetal development. Dermatoglyphics from 58 individuals who were either exposed or non-exposed to alcohol during pregnancy (according to the levels of Fatty Acid Ethyl Ethers (FAEE) found in meconium at birth) were analyzed. METHODS: Total a-b ridge count (TABRC) and levels of fluctuating asymmetry from the a-b ridge count (FAABRC) were obtained. RESULTS: A significant correlation between FA and FAEE levels was found in prenatally alcohol exposed individuals (r = 0.64, p = 0.0032). Remarkably, samples with highest values of FAEEs showed greater FAABRC (6.33 ±â€¯4.18) levels than the values of non-exposed to alcohol (2.87 ±â€¯1.74) as well as the exposed at low concentrations (2.6 ±â€¯1.43) (U = 61, p = 0.05 and U = 14.5, p = 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Heavy prenatal ethanol exposure (demonstrated by high levels of FAEEs) alters the neuroectoderm developmental program during pregnancy: PAE correlates with FAABRC, which behaves as a dermatoglyphic variable sensitive to FASD and deserves to be studied as a surrogate marker of neurodevelopmental damage during foetal development.