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Table 1 Bivariate analysis of the association between earlobe crease and selected cardiovascular risk factors (CoLaus study, Lausanne, 2009-2012)

From: Did Dumbo suffer a heart attack? independent association between earlobe crease and cardiovascular disease

Earlobe crease

Absence (n = 3829)

Presence (n = 806)

P-value

Men (%)

1708 (44.6)

455 (56.5)

<0.001

Age (years)

56.3 ± 10.3

63.2 ± 9.7

<0.001

BMI (kg/m2)

25.94 ± 4.53

27.38 ± 4.85

<0.001

BMI categories (%)

 Normal

1749 (46.2)

255 (32.2)

 

 Overweight

1448 (38.2)

349 (44.1)

<0.001

 Obese

592 (15.6)

187 (23.6)

 

Abdominal obesity (%)

1382 (36.3)

362 (45.2)

<0.001

Smoking status (%)

 Never

1619 (42.3)

300 (37.2)

 

 Former

1358 (35.5)

347 (45.1)

<0.001

 Current

852 (22.2)

159 (19.7)

 

Blood pressure status

   

 SBP (mm Hg)

125 ± 17

131 ± 19

<0.001

 DBP (mm Hg)

78 ± 11

79 ± 11

<0.001

 Hypertension (%)

1409 (36.9)

475 (58.9)

<0.001

Lipids (mmol/L)

 Total cholesterol

5.70 ± 1.03

5.68 ± 1.10

0.66

 LDL cholesterol

3.45 ± 0.92

3.44 ± 0.98

0.88

 HDL cholesterol

1.65 ± 0.47

1.59 ± 0.47

<0.001

 Triglycerides

1.34 ± 0.90

1.47 ± 0.91

<0.001*

Glycaemic status

 Glucose (mmol/L)

5.83 ± 1.06

6.20 ± 1.59

<0.001

 Insulin (μIU/mL)

8.06 ± 6.82

9.75 ± 7.74

<0.001*

 Diabetes (%)

343 (9.0)

147 (18.3)

<0.001

 HOMA-IR

2.21 ± 2.48

2.86 ± 2.65

<0.001

 High HOMA-IR (%)

925 (24.2)

277 (34.4)

<0.001

Metabolic syndrome (%)

1070 (28.2)

337 (42.1)

<0.001

  1. Results are expressed as number of participants (%) or as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis by Student’s t-test or by chi-square
  2. BMI body mass index; abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome are defined by the NCEP ATP-III criteria; hypertension is defined as SBP > 140 or DBP > 90 mm Hg and/or anti-hypertensive medication; LDL low-density lipoprotein; HDL high-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; high HOMA-IR is defined as ≥2.6; diabetes is defined as fasting plasma glucose >7.0 mmol/L and/or anti-diabetes medication
  3. *P-value calculated on log-transformed values