In the 'Symptoms - Head - Ears' section of our in-depth questionnaire we ask the following question about creases on earlobes:
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Do you have a diagonal crease (wrinkle) on one or both of your earlobes? A crease may be partial (only partway across the earlobe) or full (completely across the earlobe).
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Your answer |
...indicates |
...and suggests |
| 1. |
"No / don't know" |
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| 2. |
"Partial crease on one ear" |
Diagonal creases on earlobes |
A symptom |
| 3. |
"Partial crease on both ears" |
Diagonal creases on earlobes |
A symptom |
| 4. |
"Full crease on one ear, possibly partial on other" |
Diagonal creases on earlobes |
A symptom |
| 5. |
"Full crease on both ears" |
Diagonal creases on earlobes |
A symptom |
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Your answer will affect the likelihoods of the conditions below.
Any answers in green reduce the likelihood of the condition.
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| Answers |
Condition |
Comment |
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5 |
Coronary Disease / Heart Attack |
The presence of a diagonal earlobe crease has been recognized as a sign of cardiovascular disease since 1973. Over 30 subsequent studies have been reported in the medical literature, with the largest involving 1,000 unselected patients. The earlobe is richly supplied with blood, and a decrease in flow over an extended period of time is believed to result in collapse of the vascular bed, leading to a diagonal crease.
It appears that individuals with an earlobe crease have a 55% greater risk of dying from heart disease than those without the marking, with the risk becoming even more significant if diagonal creases appear on both earlobes. However, this predictive value does not apply to Orientals, Native Americans, or persons born with certain hereditary disorders. |
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GLOSSARY
Cardiovascular
Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.
Vascular
Relating to the blood vessels of the body. The blood vessels of the body, as a group, are referred to as the vascular system. They are composed of arteries, veins and capillaries - arteries that pass oxygen-rich blood to the tissues of the body; veins which return oxygen-depleted blood from the tissues to the lungs for oxygen; and the capillaries that are the tiniest vessels and are between the arteries and veins.
Last updated: May 10, 2007
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