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Relation of the Bilateral Earlobe Crease to Endothelial Dysfunction
Nozomu Oda1, Tatsuya Maruhashi1, Shinji Kishimoto1
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Insights
Bilateral earlobe creases (ELC) may indicate poorer vascular function and predict atherosclerosis. This study found that individuals with bilateral ELCs exhibited significantly lower vasodilation, suggesting a link to endothelial dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Biology
- Dermatology
Background:
- The earlobe crease (ELC) is a potential external marker for atherosclerosis.
- Vascular function assessment is crucial for cardiovascular risk evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between earlobe creases and vascular function.
- To determine if the presence and characteristics of ELCs correlate with endothelial dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated 400 subjects, categorizing them by the presence of unilateral or bilateral ELCs.
- Measured flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation (NID) to assess vascular function.
- Adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors in the analysis.
Main Results:
- Both unilateral and bilateral ELC groups showed lower FMD and NID compared to the non-ELC group.
- After risk factor adjustment, only bilateral ELCs remained significantly associated with reduced FMD and NID.
- ELC number, shape, and superficial wrinkles were not linked to endothelial dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Bilateral earlobe creases are associated with impaired vascular function.
- ELC presence, specifically bilateral, may serve as a simple indicator for potential endothelial dysfunction.
Abstract:
The presence of an earlobe crease (ELC) may be a simple sign to predict atherosclerosis. We evaluated the relation between ELC and vascular function. We measured flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation (NID) and observed bilateral earlobes in 400 consecutive subjects. At first, the subjects were divided into 3 groups: non-ELC group, unilateral ELC group, and bilateral ELC group. FMD and NID were significantly lower in the unilateral and bilateral ELC groups than those in the non-ELC group. After adjustment of cardiovascular risk factors, bilateral ELC, but not unilateral ELC, was associated with lower FMD and lower NID. We also investigated whether an increase in the number of ELCs worsens endothelial function, whether the difference in ELC structure (cross stripes and/or ramification) affects endothelial function, and whether endothelial function is impaired in subjects with superficial wrinkles depending on age. The number of ELCs, shape of the ELC, and superficial wrinkles were not associated with endothelial dysfunction. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the presence of bilateral ELCs is associated with vascular dysfunction.
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