Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1992

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Human Performance and Sport Studies

Major Professor

David R. Bassett Jr.

Committee Members

Ed Howley, Wendell Liemohn

Abstract

The relationships between the ear crease sign and coronary risk factors in 168 healthy men ranging in age from 23 to 60 years, were studied. The ear crease was examined while the subjects were sitting and was deemed present if it existed as a clear-cut diagonal wrinkle extending across either ear lobe. The waist (Wst) and hip circumferences were measured by a standard tape measure and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was determined. The subject's age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBF), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), total cholesterol level (Cho1), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol-to high-density lipoprotein ratio (Cho1/HDL), weight (Wt), sum of skinfolds (SSK), body mass index (BMI), height (Ht), and treadmill time to 85% of maximal heart rate (T-mill) were extracted from their medical records. Of the coronary risk factors studied, WHR, Wst, Cho1, DBF, MAP, and age were significantly greater in subjects with the ear crease than in subjects without the ear crease. After adjusting for age, only WHR, Wst, DBF, and MAP were significantly greater in subjects with the crease than in subjects without the crease. The prevalence of subjects with and without the crease was not statistically different with regards to a history of smoking or a family history of coronary artery disease (CAD). The results of this study infer that the crease is related to certain coronary risk factors such as WHR, Wst, DBF, and MAP in a population of healthy males. It is possible that the presence of a crease may reflect an overload of coronary risk factors, rather than any one risk factor alone.

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