| Description |
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a significant difference existed in the occurrence of an ear-lobe crease (ELC) either bilaterally or unilaterally, between those individuals who had sustained a myocardial infarction (MI) and those who had not. The rationale for the study was based on the assumption that the ELC would serve as an indicator for those individuals who are likely to experience coronary artery disease (CAD). The hypothesis pursued were that a) a positive correlation existed between the presence of an ELC and CAD, b) a positive correlation existed between the presence of the ELC and some of the risk factors of CAD, i.e., sex, heredity, cigarette smoking, hypertension, elevated serum glucose, obesity, aggressive personality (stress) and elevated serum cholesterol; c) Males demonstrated a greater prevalence for the ELC than females, and d) Caucasian, American culture increases the incidence of the ELC as opposed to any other culture. Seventy-seven individuals who had sustained an MI and 77 individuals who had not were observed for the presence or absence of an ELC. Among these two groups, individuals with risk factors for CAD (including age, sex, heredity, obesity, cigarette smoking hypertension, elevated serum glucose, aggressive personality and elevated cholesterol) were observed for the presence or absence of an ELC. The findings were tested using chi-square, with Phi, Cramer's and contingency correlation coefficients used to demonstrate strength of any demonstrated correlation. The results indicated that the presence of the ELC demonstrates statistically significant (positive) correlations with CAD, age, hypertension and elevated serum cholesterol levels. There was no correlation with sex, heredity, elevated serum glucose levels, stress, obesity and cigarette smoking. These findings indicated that it is possible to predict that people who have an ear-lobe crease are also likely to experience CAD. The detection of an ELC (as and indicator of possible CAD) is a simple, inexpensive, noninvasive sign to be used as a motivator in the education process to modify coronary risk factors. |
