Earlobe crease must be from front to back?

[nickppatel]

I'm using up my 6-month supply of questions pretty quick :)

I know most cardiologists don't put much stock in earlobe creases, but please humor me. Is the diagonal earlobe crease supposedly associated with CAD strictly of one kind, ie, extending from where the earlobe touches the face to the BACK OF THE EARLOBE? I noticed a faint crease from where the earlobe touches the ear down to the bottom of the earlobe, not to the back. So is it one specific type of crease?

Second question, I'm 26 years old, 6'1", 185 lbs., 34" waist - although my diet and exercise hasn't been the greatest the past few weeks, I usually eat fairly well. I assume it is unlikely that someone my age would have CAD or  even mild CAD, ie, I shouldn't worry about the creases? If it matters, I apparently have the MASS syndrome, although not officially diagnosed as such.

Thanks doc!!!

[Stelladallas]

Many many moons ago when I worked as a nurse, one of the physicians who took care of almost all the cardiac patients (small town) had observed this ear lobe crease.  I remember for years checking my own and the crease didn't come until I started to have cardiac problems.  I remember seeing some creases that were really deep and now I'm grateful mine isn't. Also mine is on one side.

[sunny in beantown]

Good Morning,

I'm wondering if the crease shows up on just one side, would it correlate to the same side blockages may be on?

Left earlobe crease, blockages in lad, for example.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[nickppatel]

lINE - I'm glad to hear your husband is doing better! But I'm curious - were his creases like the kind I described, from the back of the earlobe to where the lobe meets the face? Or were they another way? Thanks!

[line]

His creases were on the ear lobe in the front running from the end of the ear itself to the end of the lobe. I never noticed anything in the back. They ran sort of on a slant toward the face and deep If you would take the lobe and pinch it together, this is about what his looked like. He does have a strong family history of CAD and I see the creases in a brothers ear also. I hope you can understand what what I mean I am not good at descibing things.

Thanks for the well wishes, Linda

[line]

I really believe the ear lobe theory. I had read an article about this and saw my husband had deep creaes, of course he thought this was not true. Six months later after passing a stress test and thallium stress test he had a heart attack. he had two stents.After that the creases were gone.

That was 1 year and 1 month ago. About 4 months ago I told him the creases were back. Two weeks ago he had severe arm pain, his b/p was low and his pulse skipping like crazy, I called 911, he was in heart block, but went into an attack, they tried opening the stent by cathing but were unable he ended up with by-pass. He also suffered a small stroke while the cath was being done. I personally think the Dr. ruptured his artery. Two weeks prior to this attack he had a mylo-view stress done and passed that also.

I know for a fact that the crases were there twice now. He is home from the hospital and the creases went away again.

Linda

[nickppatel]

I am quite serious. I understand you are frustrated, but do some research before you start dismissing other folks' problems as insignificant. Earlobe creases are strongly correlated with CAD.

A tip: try posting in the morning, between 8AM and 10AM Eastern time. Do it daily and you will get through pretty quick. I hope whatever medical problem you're having is resolved.

[woodruff]

I understand your frustration, but, amazingly enough, there is a significant (not trivial) correlation between heart disease risk and earlobe creases.  If you google the subject, a number of study results will come up, including this one:  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1473944&dopt=Abstract

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi Nick,

I am not sure what to tell you about the earlobe crease question.  This is not something that I hear talked about it medical school or on the wards.  I am not sure what the answer to your question is.

Coronary disease does start as early as your teenage years.  It is a lifetime battle of trying to reduce your risk factors.  I agree that you shouldn't worry about the creases -- you cannot change them.  Focus more on the things you can change: diet, exercise, cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking.

I do not know of a relationship between CAD and MASS syndrome.

Good luck and thanks for posting.

[jdancy]

Not to be rude, but are you serious?  I've been trying to post a serious question here for almost a year now, and yet I wait because you ask about earlobes?  Really?  

Sorry - I'm just really frustrated..... and tired of waiting for help.

[nickppatel]

PS - Forgot to add 2 things:

1.) I'm a non-smoker

2.) The creases are bilateral but not symmetrical. The crease on the other ear is a semi-circle ... starts at the top of the lobe touching the face and loops in a semi-circle down to where the bottom of the lobe touches the face.

Thanks!

[photog53]

A related discussion, Ear Lobe Crease and CAD was started.

[Stelladallas]

I tend to look at people to see if they have creases.  The kind I have seen run from the top of the ear lobe where it connects to the face and goes diagonally to the outer tip of the ear lobe.  I remember the people I nursed in ICU had really deep creases.  stelladallas