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Digit ratio (2D:4D) and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH): Systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Gareth RichardsORCiD, Dr Steven Watson

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Abstract

The ratio of length between the second and fourth fingers (2D:4D) is commonly used as an indicator of prenatal sex hormone exposure. Several approaches have been used to try to validate the measure, including examining 2D:4D in people with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a suite of conditions characterised by elevated adrenal androgen production secondary to defective steroidogenesis. We present a systematic review and meta- analysis that examines the relationship between these two variables. Twelve articles relating to nine CAH cohorts were identified, and 2D:4D comparisons have been made between cases and controls in eight of these cohorts. Altogether, at least one 2D:4D variable has been compared between n = 251 females with CAH and n = 358 unaffected females, and between n = 108 males with CAH and n = 204 unaffected males. A previous meta- analysis (Hönekopp and Watson, 2010) reported lower right hand (R2D:4D) and left hand (L2D:4D) digit ratios in patients with CAH relative to sex-matched controls. Our meta-analysis showed the same pattern, with medium effect sizes for R2D:4D and small effect sizes for L2D:4D. Differences of small magnitude were also observed for M2D:4D, and no significant effects were observed for D[R-L]. Notably, the only effects that remained statistically significant when stratified by sex were R2D:4D in males and L2D:4D in females, and the average effect size had reduced by 46.70% since the meta-analysis of Hönekopp and Watson (2010). We also found that individual comparisons in this literature were considerably underpowered, and that patterns of sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D were similar in CAH samples as in typically developing populations. Findings are discussed in relation to the prenatal androgen hypothesis as well as alternative explanations.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Richards G, Browne WV, Aydin E, Kim MS, Nave G, Watson SJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Hormones and Behavior

Year: 2020

Volume: 126

Print publication date: 01/11/2020

Online publication date: 06/10/2020

Acceptance date: 19/09/2020

Date deposited: 02/11/2020

ISSN (print): 0018-506X

Publisher: Elsevier

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104867

DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104867

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