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Diagonal Ear Lobe Crease and Coronary Risk Factors
Author(s) -
Shoenfeld Y.,
Mor R.,
Weinberger A.,
Avidor I.,
Pinkhas J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1980.tb00514.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ear lobe , myocardial infarction , coronary heart disease , risk factor , cardiology , thickening , tears , surgery , chemistry , polymer science
The prevalence of ear lobe crease (ELC) was determined in 421 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and in 421 controls. A higher prevalence (p < 0.05) of ELC was found in MI patients (77 percent) in comparison to controls (40 percent), regardless of age. In addition, a higher prevalence was found in patients in whom MI was combined with diabetic retinopathy or hypertension, and in Ashkenazi Jews compared to non‐Ashkenazi Jews. Ear lobe biopsies in 12 subjects revealed tears of the elastic fibers in all subjects with ELC, and prearteriole wall thickening in subjects with MI and/or ELC, but not in the 2 subjects with neither MI nor ELC. The early appearance of ELC may imply the existence of coronary heart disease with or without coronary risk factors.