IT IS OF INTEREST to know whether noncardiac congenital differences are associated with congenital cardiovascular defects. This report deals with certain variants of the palmar dermatoglyphics which are frequently associated with congenital lesions of the heart. Material and Methods A total of 287 pairs of palm prints was analyzed; 157 patients had congenital defects of the heart and 143 patients had acquired heart disease. The majority of patients attended the Cardiac Clinic at the Charity Hospital. No attempt was made to select any specific type of congenital heart lesion, nor were patients excluded with congenital diseases other than those of the cardiovascular system. The palmar dermatoglyphics were analyzed according to the methods of Cummins and Midlo.1The characteristics studied were (1) the axial triradii, (2) the interdigital patterns, and (3) the thenar and hypothenar patterns. Finger patterns and plantar dermatoglyphics were not examined. Results The data showed a significant