STUDIES OF MALE SURVIVORS OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION DUE TO "ESSENTIAL" ATHEROSCLEROSIS. 3. CORNEAL ARCUS: INCIDENCE AND RELATION TO SERUM LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS.

Corneal arcus and serum lipids were studied in 121 men, aged 30 to 80, with atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (CHD), and in healthy controls. In both groups the incidence of arcus increased from 55% in the fifth decade to 90% in the eighth. Under 40, arcus was a significant differentiating sign, being present in 11 of the 25 coronary patients and in none of the controls. In both groups, to age 60, the incidence of arcus correlated with serum cholesterol and phospholipid but not with standard Sf 0-400 lipoprotein fractions. In the CHD group there was significant elevation of the serum lipids. Since arcus is itself a fatty infiltration of the eye, these findings support the importance of serum lipids in atherogenesis. Clinically, corneal arcus in a male under 40 may be a clue to hyperlipidemia and a propensity to CHD.