Patients with Earlobe Crease May Associate with Lower Concentration of the Age-Suppressing Hormone Klotho

Figures & data

Figure 1 Typical example of the unilateral earlobe crease. The arrow shows earlobe crease.

Table 1 Baseline Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of the Enrolled Patients

Parameter	All Patients (N=135)	ELC Group (N=45)	Non-ELC Group (N=90)		P-value
			CAD^+ Group	CAD^− Group
Age (year)	58.3 ± 6.54	60.0 ± 6.69	57.38 ± 5.8	57.6 ± 6.86	0.109
Gender (M/F)	83/52	32/13	27/18	24/21	0.134
Body mass index, kg/m^2	22.6 ± 3.0	23.0 ± 2.8	22.3 ± 2.9	22.5 ± 3.2	0.641
Systolic BP (mmHg)	130.5 ± 17.1	130.7 ± 18.4	129.6 ± 17.4	131.2 ± 15.7	0.896
Diastolic BP (mmHg)	80.9 ± 10.7	78 ± 9.34	81.8 ± 9.54	82.9 ± 12.5	0.077
HbA1c (%)	6.01 ± 0.75	5.88 ± 0.48	5.85 ± 0.53	6.32 ± 1.02	0.004*
Urea nitrogen, mmol/L	5.0 ± 1.55	4.97 ± 1.59	4.74 ± 1.48	5.31 ± 1.54	0.213
Creatinine, mmol/L	72.6 ± 16.2	74.5 ± 19.7	72.0 ± 13.4	71.2 ± 15.0	0.620
Cystatin c, mmol/L	1.04 ± 0.04	1.06 ± 0.31	0.94 ± 0.25	1.11 ± 0.57	0.117
Total cholesterol, mmol/L	4.12 ± 1.18	4.14 ± 1.12	4.09±1.45	4.12 ± 0.93	0.985
Triglycerides, mmol/L	1.57 ± 0.81	1.53 ± 0.83	1.58 ± 0.63	1.62 ± 0.94	0.882
LDL-cholesterol, mmol/L	2.16 ± 0.8	2.22 ± 0.87	2.13 ± 0.94	2.13 ± 0.55	0.821
HDL-cholesterol, mmol/L	1.06 ± 0.24	1.09 ± 0.29	1.04 ± 0.19	1.03 ± 0.22	0.449
Smoking status, (Yes/No)	80/55	30/15	26/19	24/21	0.564
Hypertension, n (%)	61 (45.2)	29 (64.4)	14 (31.1)	18 (40)	0.002*
Diabetes mellitus, n (%)	37 (27.4)	9 (20)	14 (31.1)	14 (31.1)	0.11

Notes: Data are expressed as proportion n (%), ratio (A/B) and mean ± standard deviation (M ± SD). *P < 0.05, the difference is statistically significant.

Abbreviations: ELC, earlobe crease; CAD, coronary artery disease; BP, blood pressure; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; CAD⁺, diagnosed with CAD; CAD⁻, diagnosed without CAD.

Figure 2 Comparison of serum Klotho levels between enrolled patients with and without diagonal ELC.

Abbreviation: ELC, earlobe crease.

Figure 3 The potential pathophysiologic foundation for the relationship between ELC and CAD.

Abbreviations: ELC, earlobe crease; CAD, coronary artery disease.