The association of circulating inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarker levels with diagonal earlobe crease in patients with atherosclerotic diseases.

BACKGROUND: Earlobe creases (ELC) are frequently observed in patients with atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is considered to be a systemic vascular inflammatory disease, and oxidative stress is known to be a contributor to vascular inflammation. It is well known that inflammatory biomarkers [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), pentraxin3 (PTX3)] and oxidative stress markers [malondialdehyde low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL)] are associated with atherosclerotic changes. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress are increased in patients with ELC.

METHODS: A total of 223 consecutive patients with atherosclerotic risk factors were enrolled and divided into two groups. One group consisted of patients with ELC (ELC group, n=134) and the other was without ELC (non-ELC group, n=89). Medical information and biomarker levels related to atherosclerosis were acquired from these patients.

RESULTS: The male ratio, prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and MDA-LDL, hs-CRP, and PTX3 levels were found to be higher in the ELC group, compared with the non-ELC group. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that PTX3 levels, rather than hs-CRP, constituted the strongest predictive factor for the appearance of ELC.

CONCLUSIONS: Vascular inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with the presence of ELC.