Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with increasing prevalence. The ‘atd’ angle, a palmar dermatoglyphic feature formed early in fetal development, may serve as a biomarker for prenatal disturbances. This study aimed to compare the ‘atd’ angle between children with ASD and typically developing controls, and to assess sex-based differences within the ASD group. Methods: A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted in Rangpur, Bangladesh, from January to December 2019. The sample included 100 children aged 5–15 years: 50 with ASD (38 males, 12 females) from two autism centers, and 50 typically developing controls (26 males, 24 females) from a local school. Palm prints were collected using the standard ink method, and the maximal ‘atd’ angle was measured bilaterally with a protractor. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0, with independent t-tests for group comparisons (pd”0.05 considered significant). Results: The mean ‘atd’ angle for children with ASD (41.31° ± 6.45°) was wider than that of controls (40.83° ± 5.75°), but this difference was not significant (p=0.275). Stratified by sex, autistic females had the widest mean ‘atd’ angle (45.66° ± 7.68°), which was greater than both autistic males (41.24° ± 5.77°; p=0.072) and control females (40.59° ± 5.57°; p=0.080). In the control group, 82% had an ‘atd’ angle <45°, compared to 75% in the ASD group. Conclusion: While the ‘atd’ angle did not show significant differences between the ASD and control groups, a trend toward a wider angle was observed, particularly in autistic females. The ‘atd’ angle may not serve as a standalone diagnostic biomarker for ASD, but could contribute to a broader dermatoglyphic assessment. Larger studies with standardized methods are needed to further explore these outcomes.
Pabna Medical College Journal
Open access || Peer reviewed || Medical research
ISSN : 2958-7794 (Print)
ISSN : 3005-6675 (Online)