Earlobe crease and atherosclerosis. An autopsy study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Pathology
• Dermatology
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease.
• Identifying reliable external markers for atherosclerosis can aid in risk assessment.
• Earlobe crease (ELC) has been anecdotally linked to cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between ELC and the extent of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis.
• To determine if ELC is an independent predictor of atherosclerosis.
• To explore the relationship between ELC, atherosclerosis, and risk factors like total cholesterol (TC) and blood pressure.

Main Methods:

• Study included 100 autopsied men aged 50-79, free of known vascular disease.
• ELC was graded (1-3) based on depth and length.
• Atherosclerosis severity in coronary arteries and aortas was visually graded.
• Blood pressure and serum total cholesterol (TC) levels were recorded.

Main Results:

• Coronary atherosclerosis was significantly more severe in individuals with higher ELC grades (group 3).
• Aortic atherosclerosis was significantly greater in group 3 compared to groups 1 and 2.
• Higher ELC grades correlated with higher TC levels, except in the sixth decade.
• Multivariate analysis showed ELC degree depended on atherosclerosis extent and vice versa, independent of age.

Conclusions:

• ELC serves as a significant external marker for atherosclerosis.
• ELC may indicate a persistent overload of atherosclerosis risk factors, such as TC.
• The findings suggest ELC can be a valuable, non-invasive indicator in cardiovascular risk assessment.