THE TOP 10 HAND SIGNS
IN DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 1:
(Ranked by 'Log Odds Ratio' = LOR)
I - Thick, waxy/hardening skin on back of hand (sclerodactyly) [Diabetes hand sign 6-1: LOR = +4.58]
II - Fingerprints: radial loop on pinky [Diabetes hand sign 5-2: LOR = +3.16]
III - Fingerprints: radial loop on ringfinger [Diabetes hand sign 5-1: LOR = +3.09]
IV - Neuropathy: loss of function: movement / sensation (Tinel's sign, Phalen's test, preacher sign / prayer sign, limited joint mobility) [Diabetes hand sign 7-1: LOR = +2.98]
V - Pink patches on back of the hand / fingers (granuloma annulare lesions) [Diabetes hand sign 6-3: LOR = + 2.73]
VI - Shiny patches, first: red-brown & painless, later: yellow & ulceration (necrobiosis lipoidica) [Diabetes hand sign 6-6: LOR = + 2.71]
VII - Little skin pebbles on back of the hand / fingers (Huntley's papules) [Diabetes hand sign 6-4: LOR = + 2.64]
VIII - Locked finger, a.k.a. 'trigger finger' (stenosing tenosynovitis) [Diabetes hand sign 7-3: LOR = +2.50]
IX - Palm: high density on thenar [Diabetes hand sign 5-13: LOR = + 2.50]
X - Palm: radial arch on hypothenar [Diabetes hand sign 5-11: LOR = + 2.47]
THE TOP 10 HAND SIGNS
IN DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2:
(Ranked by 'Log Odds Ratio' = LOR)
I - Neuropathy: loss of function: movement / sensation (Tinel's sign, Phalen's test, preacher sign / prayer sign, limited joint mobility) [Diabetes hand sign 7-1: LOR = +3.36]
II - Fingerprints: radial loop on pinky [Diabetes hand sign 5-2: LOR = +3.16]
III - Fingerprints: radial loop on ringfinger [Diabetes hand sign 5-1: LOR = +3.09]
IV - Half white, half pink nails (Terry's nails) [Diabetes hand sign 2-3: LOR = +3.09]
V - Pink patches on back of the hand / fingers (granuloma annulare lesions) [Diabetes hand sign 6-3: LOR = + 2.73]
VI - Shiny patches, first: red-brown & painless, later: yellow & ulceration (necrobiosis lipoidica) [Diabetes hand sign 6-6: LOR = + 2.71]
VII - Little skin pebbles on back of the hand / fingers (Huntley's papules) [Diabetes hand sign 6-4: LOR = + 2.64]
VIII - Locked finger, a.k.a. 'trigger finger' (stenosing tenosynovitis) [Diabetes hand sign 7-3: LOR = +2.50]
IX - Palm: radial arch on hypothenar [Diabetes hand sign 5-11: LOR = + 2.28]
X - Simian line [Diabetes hand sign 4-1: LOR = +2.24]
These TOP 10 hand signs for Diabetes Mellitus type 1 & 2 show that skin abnormalities (combined with motoric problems) play a key role in recognizing Diabetes Mellitus.
NOTICE: Log Odds Ratios are calculated from the prevalence (%) among Diabetes patients & controls; more details are presented in the right column at the bottom of this page.
- 34 Hand Signs in Diabetes Mellitus -
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar.
The result of many studies indicate that there is a large group of hand signs that can be described as 'typical' for diabetes mellitus type 1 & type 2: five hand signs have log odds ratio statistics above 15 for both types of diabetes.
The result of many studies indicate that certain skin abnormalities (often combined with motoric problems) are indicative for the metabolic problems related to diabetes!
How to make a Palm Reading Assessment for DIABETES MELLITUS (Type 1 & 2)
Key-elements of the hand in Diabetes Mellitus (type 1 & 2) in a nutshell: skin / nail problems and or motoric problems, palmar dermatoglyphic stereotypes below the ring finger & the hypothenar, high occurence of the simian crease.
[Phantom picture for Diabetes Type 1 & 2 will be available later]
Studies have shown that there not much difference between recognizing diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2 from the hand only.
An advanced hand diagnosis for Diabetes Mellitus requires a person to have multiple significant hand markers that follow the MAJOR REQUIREMENT + the additional requirements described below:
MAJOR REQUIREMENT: The person requires to have significant hand markers for Diabetes Mellitus in at least three dimensions of the hand
- ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT A: The person requires to have at least one hand marker that relates to one of the following three perspectives: FINGERNAILS (= hand perspective 2), or SKIN QUALITY (= hand perspective 6), or MOTORICS (= hand perspective 7)
- ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT B: The person requires to have at least two hand markers that relates to DERMATOGLYPHICS (= hand perspective 5).
- ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT C: The person requires to have at least one hand marker in the palm (or back of the hand) + at least one hand marker in the fingers.
(More specifications will follow soon)
IMPORTANT: Even when all above REQUIREMENTS are fullfilled, then one can still NOT speak of a 'confirmed' hand diagnosis for Diabetes Mellitus: an additional health assessment beyond the hand is still requirement!
Some of the 34 significant hand markers for Diabetes Mellitus that are listed below became known in medical science as a 'physical minor anomaly' (such as the simian crease & the Sydney line).
But in general most of these individual hand markers can usually be described as harmless body characteristics - except for the markers described for perspectives 2, 6 and 7.
- List of 34 hand markers for Diabetes Type 1 & 2 -
• Hand perspective 1 - HAND SHAPE:
- 1-1: Appearent hand shape asymmetry.
• Hand perspective 2 - FINGERNAILS:
- 2-1: Fungal infection of the nail (onychomycosis);
- 2-2: Redness in proximal nail fold (chronic paronychia);
- 2-3: Half white, half pink nails (Terry's nails);
- 2-4: Blue lunula;
- 2-5: Yellow nails + yellow skin;
- 2-6: Spoon nail (koilonychia).
• Hand perspective 3 - FINGER MORPHOLOGY:
- 3-1: High finger length asymmetry: e.g. 2D:4D asymmetry.
• Hand perspective 4 - MAJOR LINES:
- 4-1: Simian crease;
- 4-2: Sydney line.
• Hand perspective 5 - DERMATOGLYPHICS:
- 5-1: Fingers: radial loop on ringfinger;
- 5-2: Fingers: radial loop on pinky;
- 5-3: Fingers: high thumb minus pinky ridge count (high MD15);
- 5-4: Palm: triradius c below ring finger is missing;
- 5-5: Palm: ridge line C ends below ring finger (abbortive ridge line C);
- 5-6: Palm: a-b ridge count summarized for both hands < 70 (ridge count between triradius below index finger & triradius below middle finger);
- 5-7: Palm: 2 or 3 triradii on hypothenar;
- 5-8: Palm: high positioned axial triradius;
- 5-9: Palm: triradius t is missing;
- 5-10: Palm: ulnar loop on hypothenar;
- 5-11: Palm: radial arch on hypothenar;
- 5-12: Palm: pattern in the hypothenar OR thenar of just one hand;
- 5-13: Palm: high density on thenar.
• Hand perspective 6 - SKIN QUALITY:
- 6-1: Thick, waxy/thickening skin on back of the hand (sclerodactyly);
- 6-2: Infections;
- 6-3: Pink patches on back of the hand / fingers (granuloma annulare lesions);
- 6-4: Little skin pebbles on back of the hand / fingers (Huntley's papules);
- 6-5: Blisters (bullosis diabeticorum);
- 6-6: Shiny patches, first: red-brown & painless, later: yellow & ulceration (necrobiosis lipoidica);
- 6-7: Dramatic appearing hand infections (e.g. Tropical Diabetic Hand Syndrome).
• Hand perspective 7 - MOTORICS:
- 7-1: Neuropathy: loss of function, loss of movement / sensation (Tinel's sign, Phalen's test, preacher sign / prayer sign, limited joint mobility);
- 7-2: Contracture of pinky and/or ring finger (Dupuytren's contracture);
- 7-3: Locked finger, a.k.a. 'trigger finger' (stenosing tenosynovitis);
- 7-4: Numbness, tingling and/or pain (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome);
NOTICE: About 3% of the world population has diabetes mellitus, of which about 2.7% concerns Type 2 and 0.3% concerns Type 1.
But in Down syndrome the occurence of diabetes type 1 is much higher (estimates indicate at least 4x times higher to up to 10%), therefore it is interesting to notice that 8 of the 26 hand markers in Down syndrome are also seen in the summary of hand markers for Diabetes Mellitus!
Various studies around the world have proven that the simian line is more often seen among diabetics than in the general population (about 3% of the healthy population has a simian line in at least one hand).
This implicates that the simian line is much more important in the genetic syndromes (e.g. Down syndrome & Fragile-X syndrome) than in Diabetes Mellitus - but still, combined with other relevant hand markers the simian line can play a role in a hand diagnosis for Diabetes Mellitus.
This raises the question: 'how can the simian line serve as a diagnostic marker specific for Diabetes Mellitus?'
'Phantom picture' of the hand in Diabetes type 2.
NOTICE: Later the author will present a comprehensive 'phantom picture' for the most typical hand-characteristics in Diabetes Mellitus.
HAND SIGNS & DIAGNOSTICS:
