Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences
Abstract
Background/aim: The second-to-fourth digit (2D:4D) ratio is commonly used as an indirect marker of prenatal androgen exposure, although its biological validity is limited. Evidence of its relationship with Dupuytren disease is scarce. This study compared the radiographic 2D:4D ratios of patients with Dupuytren disease with those of a control group and examined whether the association differed by sex.
Materials and methods: Included in this retrospective observational study were 81 patients with Dupuytren disease and 82 age-comparable controls who contributed 101 and 122 hand measurements, respectively. The phalangeal lengths of the second and fourth digits were measured from hand radiographs and summed to obtain a total phalangeal digit length. The 2D:4D ratio was then calculated for each hand. Group comparisons were performed overall and after stratification by sex. The reliability of inter- and intraobserver measurements was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients.
Results: Mean age did not differ significantly between the groups. The mean 2D:4D ratio was higher in the Dupuytren group than in the control group (0.958 ± 0.075 vs 0.921 ± 0.034; p < 0.001). The difference was greater among males (0.988 ± 0.097 vs 0.917 ± 0.041; p < 0.001) but remained significant among females (0.940 ± 0.050 vs 0.924 ± 0.025; p = 0.028). Inter- and intraobserver reliability was excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.941 to 0.978.
Conclusion: Patients with Dupuytren disease had higher radiographic 2D:4D ratios than controls, particularly among males. The finding contrasts with the lower ratios reported in previous studies of Dupuytren disease, challenging the suggestion of a simple inverse relationship between digit ratio and disease susceptibility.
DOI
10.55730/1300-0144.6395
Keywords
2D:4D ratio, androgens, digit ratio, Dupuytren contracture, radiography
First Page
1499
Last Page
1503
Publisher
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
HATİPOĞLU, M. Y, & ÖZDEMİR, T. O (2026). Is the 2D:4D ratio different in patients with Dupuytren’s disease compared with the normal population? . Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences 56 (5): 1499-1503. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0144.6395
