Clinical Skin Aging Score and Risk of Degenerative Cardiovascular Diseases

BACKGROUND: Skin aging can be a contributing factor in the prediction, follow-up, and early diagnosis of some disorders related to the aging process, including degenerative cardiovascular diseases. OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore the association between a clinical skin aging score and risk of degenerative heart diseases. METHODS: This study included two groups; a case group consisting of 44 patients older than 30 years who were admitted to the cardiology department with degenerative heart disease and 44 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals to act as a control group. The skin aging score was calculated for all subjects. RESULTS: Regarding intrinsic skin aging parameters, there were highly significant differences between the two groups in uneven pigmentation, reduced fat tissue, benign skin tumors, fine wrinkles, and lax skin appearance. Concerning extrinsic skin aging parameters, there were significant differences between the two groups regarding pigment changes, changes in skin phenotype, yellowness, pseudoscars, cutis rhomboidalis nuchae, telangectasia, coarse wrinkles, and dryness. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that any individual with intrinsic skin aging score greater than eight points or total score of more than 15 points is at high risk for degenerative cardiovascular disease and should undergo periodic follow-up.