Assessment of the 2D:4D Ratio in Aggression-related Injuries in Children Attending a Paediatric Emergency Department

Overview

Journal Ir J Med Sci

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2016 Nov 3

PMID 27804078

Citations 2

Authors

D E OBriain

P H Dawson

J C Kelly

P Connolly

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The 2D:4D ratio is a sexually dimorphic trait. A lower ratio is correlated with sporting prowess, successful financial trading, risk taking behaviour, aggression, and aggression-related injuries, such as the fifth metacarpal fractures.

Aims: We aimed to assess if the ratio correlates to skeletally immature patient aggression.

Methods: Radiology reports were searched for the terms "5th metacarpal" or "boxer". Of 537 X-rays, 142 had fractures. The mechanism of injury was recorded in 102 patients, differentiating aggressive and non-aggressive injury groups. Bone age and chronological age were recorded.

Results: A clear male preponderance for aggression was identified with only 60% of non-aggressive injuries occurring in males compared to 95% in the aggression group (p < 0.001). Patients with aggression injuries were older chronologically (14.6 vs 12.7, p < 0.001) and by bone age (14.5 vs 13.0, p < 0.001). For male patients, there was no difference in the 2D:4D ratio (p = 0.94); however, for females, the difference was significant (p = 0.04).

Conclusions: Aggression injuries occur at an older age and are more common in males. In the female cohort, there was a distinct difference in digit ratio.

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Cross-national gender variations of digit ratio (2D:4D) correlate with life expectancy, suicide rate, and other causes of death.

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