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A Model of Disturbed Flow-Induced Atherosclerosis in Mouse Carotid Artery by Partial Ligation and a Simple Method of RNA Isolation from Carotid Endothelium
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Earlobe crease and atherosclerosis. An autopsy study

T Ishii1, N Asuwa, S Masuda

  • 1Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical College, Japan.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|August 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Earlobe crease (ELC) is a significant external marker for atherosclerosis. Deeper creases correlate with more severe coronary and aortic atherosclerosis, suggesting a link to risk factors like high cholesterol.

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.

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