March 10, 2009
Heart Disease? Check Your Earlobes?!
Did you know there's an association between the presence of diagonal earlobe crease (ELC) and coronary artery disease (CAD). The presence of bilateral ELC is associated with CAD and coronary risk factors.
A study by the Department of Cardiology at the Pamukkale University School of Medicine examined 415 patients for the presence or absence of bilateral ELC, angiographic evidence of CAD and coronary risk factors. The patients were divided into two groups according to angiographic evidence of CAD.
Bilateral ELC was significantly and positively correlated with CAD, hypertension, age, male gender, cigarette smoking and family history of CAD. The presence of bilateral ELC was significantly associated with CAD and coronary risk factors. The bilateral ELC was an important dermatological indicator of CAD, and it might be a useful diagnostic tool in the clinical examination of patients.
