Related Experiment Videos
[Frank's sign and coronary disease]
Annales De Cardiologie Et D'Angeiologie
|January 1, 1987
Summary
Frank's sign, a groove on the earlobe, is a significant indicator for coronary artery disease. Its presence suggests a high likelihood of coronary artery disease, particularly in men and older individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diagnostic Medicine
Context:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosis relies on invasive procedures and risk factor assessment.
- Identifying non-invasive, easily detectable markers for CAD is crucial for early detection.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Frank's sign (earlobe crease) in detecting coronary artery disease.
- To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of Frank's sign in a symptomatic population.
Summary:
- A study of 172 patients found a highly significant association between Frank's sign and coronary artery disease (p < 0.001).
- Frank's sign demonstrated 75% sensitivity, 57.5% specificity, and 80.3% positive predictive value for CAD.
- Predictive value varied by sex (84.7% in men, 50% in women) and increased with age, remaining high (77%) in those over 60.
Impact:
- Frank's sign serves as an independent marker for coronary artery disease, often co-existing with traditional risk factors.
- While its absence doesn't rule out CAD, its presence in symptomatic individuals indicates established disease in three-quarters of cases.
- This finding may encourage further investigation into simple clinical signs for cardiovascular risk assessment.