Eyelid Xanthelasma and Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Propensity-Matched Analysis

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Cardiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Xanthelasma palpebrarum (XP) is a common periocular lesion.
• Its association with systemic lipid dysregulation and cardiovascular disease is debated.
• This study investigates the link between XP and cardiovascular outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relationship between XP, dyslipidemia, and major cardiovascular outcomes.
• Utilizing a large-scale electronic health record dataset.
• To assess cardiovascular risk stratification opportunities presented by XP.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study.
• Utilized de-identified electronic health records from TriNetX.
• Matched 20,048 XP cases with 20,048 controls aged 20-85.
• Analyzed incidence of hyperlipidemia and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Main Results:

• XP patients showed higher rates of hyperlipidemia (32.2% vs. 27.6%) and MACE (13.0% vs. 11.4%).
• Cox models revealed increased risk for hyperlipidemia (HR: 1.38) and MACE (HR: 1.26) in XP patients.
• A small, statistically significant increase in all-cause mortality was observed (HR: 1.09).

Conclusions:

• XP is significantly associated with atherogenic lipid profiles and increased cardiovascular event risk.
• XP correlates with greater use of lipid-lowering medications.
• Recognizing XP can facilitate early cardiovascular risk stratification.