Bilateral diagonal earlobe crease and coronary artery disease: a significant association.
BACKGROUND
The association between the presence of diagonal earlobe crease (ELC) and coronary artery disease (CAD) still remains controversial.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between bilateral ELC and CAD.


METHODS
415 patients were examined for the presence or absence of bilateral ELC, angiographic evidence of CAD and coronary risk factors. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to angiographic evidence of CAD.


RESULTS
Bilateral ELC was significantly and positively correlated with CAD, hypertension, age, male gender, cigarette smoking and family history of CAD. The ELC was an independent variable for CAD. The observed sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the bilateral ELC for the diagnosis of CAD were in the following order: 51.3, 84.8, 89.4 and 41.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Evrengül
Harun
H
Department of Cardiology, Pamukkale University School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey. harunevrengul@hotmail.com
Dursunoğlu
Dursun
D
Kaftan
Asuman
A
Zoghi
Mehdi
M
Tanriverdi
Halil
H
Zungur
Mustafa
M
Kiliç
Mustafa
M
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution