Diagonal earlobe creases and ischemic stroke: Preliminary report

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Genetics

Background:

• Diagonal earlobe creases (DELCs) are recognized indicators of coronary arterial disease (CAD), cardiac morbidity, and mortality.
• The association between DELCs and cerebrovascular events, specifically ischemic stroke, requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of DELCs on the incidence of ischemic stroke.
• To examine the relationship between DELCs and cardiovascular risk factors including CAD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 116 patients with ischemic stroke and 232 age- and gender-matched controls without ischemic stroke.
• Neurological consultation and physical examination for the presence of earlobe creases in all 348 participants.
• Analysis of medical records to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and stroke subtypes.

Main Results:

• DELCs were significantly associated with advancing age in the overall cohort.
• In patients with ischemic stroke, DELCs showed a significant relationship with CAD, diabetes mellitus, and nonlacunar ischemic stroke.
• Patients with DELCs and ischemic stroke exhibited higher cumulative incidences of CAD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia.
• Even after controlling for CAD, DELCs remained significantly associated with nonlacunar ischemic stroke in patients with ischemic stroke.

Conclusions:

• Diagonal earlobe creases are significantly associated with ischemic stroke, particularly nonlacunar subtypes.
• The presence of DELCs may indicate an increased risk for cardiovascular comorbidities, including CAD and diabetes mellitus.
• DELCs serve as a potential clinical marker for identifying individuals at higher risk for ischemic stroke and related cardiovascular diseases.