Abstract
BackgroundEarlobe crease (ELC) has been associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or risk factors (CVRF) and could be a marker predisposing to CVD. However, most studies studied only a small number of CVRF and no complete assessment of the associations between ELC and CVRF has been performed in a single study.MethodsPopulation-based study (n = 4635, 46.7 % men) conducted between 2009 and 2012 in Lausanne, Switzerland.ResultsEight hundred six participants (17.4 %) had an ELC. Presence of ELC was associated with male gender and older age. After adjusting for age and gender (and medication whenever necessary), presence of ELC was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with higher levels of body mass index (BMI) [adjusted mean ± standard error: 27.0 ± 0.2 vs. 26.02 ± 0.07 kg/m2], triglycerides [1.40 ± 0.03 vs. 1.36 ± 0.01 mmol/L] and insulin [8.8 ± 0.2 vs. 8.3 ± 0.1 μIU/mL]; lower levels of HDL cholesterol [1.61 ± 0.02 vs. 1.64 ± 0.01 mmol/L]; higher frequency of abdominal obesity [odds ratio and (95 % confidence interval) 1.20 (1.02; 1.42)]; hypertension [1.41 (1.18; 1.67)]; diabetes [1.43 (1.15; 1.79)]; high HOMA-IR [1.19 (1.00; 1.42)]; metabolic syndrome [1.28 (1.08; 1.51)] and history of CVD [1.55 (1.21; 1.98)]. No associations were found between ELC and estimated cardiovascular risk, inflammatory or liver markers. After further adjustment on BMI, only the associations between ELC and hypertension [1.30 (1.08; 1.56)] and history of CVD [1.47 (1.14; 1.89)] remained significant. For history of CVD, further adjustment on diabetes, hypertension, total cholesterol and smoking led to similar results [1.36 (1.05; 1.77)].ConclusionIn this community-based sample ELC was significantly and independently associated with hypertension and history of CVD.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12872-016-0193-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Earlobe crease (ELC) has been associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or risk factors (CVRF) and could be a marker predisposing to CVD
For history of CVD, further adjustment on diabetes, hypertension, total cholesterol and smoking led to similar results [1.36 (1.05; 1.77)]
cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) associated with altered microcirculation might impact ELC due to a local micro vascular insufficiency associated with atherosclerosis [2,3,4,5,6,7]
Summary
Earlobe crease (ELC) has been associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or risk factors (CVRF) and could be a marker predisposing to CVD. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. Most cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) involve specific investigations (i.e. total, LDL or HDL cholesterol; glucose) and might not be suitable in low or middle-income countries, where access to health resources is scarce. The identification of simple clinical signs associated with an increased risk of CVD has drawn some attention. One of these signs is the earlobe crease (ELC), defined as “a deep crease in the lobule portion of the auricle” by S.T. Frank in 1973 [1]. CVRF associated with altered microcirculation might impact ELC due to a local micro vascular insufficiency associated with atherosclerosis [2,3,4,5,6,7]
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