Sci Rep: Magic, the length and proportion of fingers can predict the severity of infection after new crown

Recently, a small-scale new crown epidemic has appeared again in China

Most people infected with the new crown will only have mild symptoms or even no symptoms

A study published recently shows that a person's finger length and proportions can be used as predictors of the severity of his new crown infection

It is generally accepted that a longer ring finger is a marker of prenatal exposure to higher levels of androgens (testosterone), while a longer index finger is a marker of higher levels of estrogen

Left: The ring finger is longer than the index finger; Right: The index finger is longer than the ring finger

Since the severity of infection with the new crown is closely related to gender (men have a higher proportion of severe cases), the research team began to study the relationship between the androgen testosterone and the severity of infection after the new crown

Recently, researchers from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland, Swansea University in the United Kingdom, and Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden collaborated to publish a paper entitled: Digit ratios and their asymmetries as risk factors of developmental instability and hospitalization for the journal Scientific Reports.

The research team took a closer look at the ratio of the lengths of people's four fingers (index, middle, ring, and little fingers) other than the thumb as a predictor of the severity of COVID-19 infection

The study's collaborator, Professor John Manning, has found in previous research that children's finger length and proportions are related to their mothers' income, noting that hormones a person is exposed to in the womb before birth can affect future susceptibility to disease

In the new study, the team found that those with a smaller ratio of pinky to other fingers tended to have severe symptoms and hospitalization after contracting Covid-19

Research suggests that this is a combination of prenatal hormonal exposure in utero (the ratio of finger length) and hormonal influence during puberty (asymmetry of left and right hand development)

Index finger (2D), middle finger (3D), ring finger (4D), little finger (5D)

The results of the study suggest that the severity of infection with the new coronavirus is associated with low testosterone and high estrogen in both men and women, the team said

The research team further noted that the study's ability to predict who is more likely to develop severe disease after contracting the new coronavirus could aid in targeted vaccinations to help those at higher risk

The research team said that the sample in the paper is not yet large, and research is continuing to further expand the sample size to provide more accurate predictors

Original source:

Kasielska-Trojan, A.