Dermatoglyphic patterns in patients with mitral valve prolapse: a clue to pathogenesis.

Fingerprints were obtained from 100 patients with mitral valve prolapse and compared with those of 100 control subjects matched for sex and race. Arches were found in 16.8 percent of all digital patterns in patients with mitral valve prolapse but in only 2.5 percent of all digits in the control group. Whereas no patient in the control group had four or more arches, 19 percent of patients with mitral valve prolapse had this finding. In addition, arches were found on 16 and 9 percent, respectively, of digits IV and V in patients with mitral valve prolapse but were not found on these digits in the control group. The finding of four or more arches or arches on digits IV or V may be important supportive evidence of mitral valve prolapse when evaluating patients with atypical chest pain and palpitations. Antenatal factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of mitral valve prolapse since it is possible that a genetic or environmental factor that interferes with the development of the mitral valve may also influence epidermal ridge patterns.