Open AccessSkin aging parameters: A window to heart block
Author(s) -
Roshdy Hisham Samir,
Soliman Mohammad Hassan,
ElDosouky Ibtesam Ibrahim,
Ghonemy Soheir
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.22848
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , ejection fraction , seborrheic keratosis , electrocardiography , heart failure , pathology
Background Skin acts as a mirror to the internal state of the body. Hypothesis We tried to find the relation between skin aging parameters and the incidence of degenerative AV block. Methods This study included 97 patients divided into 2 groups; group D comprised 49 patients with advanced‐degree AV block, and group C comprised the 48 matched control group. All were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, calculation of intrinsic skin aging score, and resting 12‐lead surface electrocardiography (ECG). ECG for all patients assessed left ventricular end‐systolic diameter, left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter, ejection fraction, left atrium (LA) diameter, aortic root diameter, mitral annular calcification, aortic sclerosis. Coronary angiography was also performed when indicated for patients in group D. Results Patients in group D had a higher percentages of uneven pigmentation, fine skin wrinkles, lax appearance, seborrheic keratosis, total score > 7 (38 [77.55%] vs 10 [20.83%]), mitral annular calcification score of 33 (67.34%) vs 5 (10.41%), aortic sclerosis score of 21 (42.85%) vs 4 (8.33%), and mean LA diameter of 39.98 ± 5.52 vs 36.21 ± 3 mm ( P < 0.001). Total score > 6 is the best cutoff value to predict advanced‐degree heart block with 89.79% sensitivity and 64.58% specificity. Seborrheic keratosis was the strongest independent predictor. Conclusions Any population with a total intrinsic skin aging score of >6 is at high risk for developing advanced‐degree AV block and should undergo periodic ECG follow‐up for early detection of any conduction disturbance in the early asymptomatic stages to minimize sudden cardiac death.