VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Hospital Dental Service, UCLA Medical Center, School of Dentistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2012 Jan 1;17(1):e153-9. doi: 10.4317/medoral.17390.
In Spain a significant number of individuals die from atherosclerotic disease of the coronary and carotid arteries without having classic risk factors and prodomal symptoms. The diagonal ear lobe crease (DELC) has been characterized in the medical literature as a surrogate marker which can identify high risk patients having occult atherosclerosis. This topic however has not been examined in either the medical or dental literature emanating from Spain. The majority of clinical, angiography and postmortem reports support the premise that DELC is a valuable extravascular physical sign able to distinguish some patients at risk of succumbing to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. A minority of studies have however failed to support this hypothesis. More recently reports using B mode ultrasound have also linked DELC to atherosclerosis of the carotid artery and another report has related DELC to the presence of calcified carotid artery atheromas on panoramic radiographs. DELC is readily visible during head and neck cancer screening examinations. In conjunction with the patient's medical history, vital signs, and panoramic radiograph, the DELC may assist in atherosclerotic risk.
在西班牙，大量的个体死于冠状动脉和颈动脉的动脉粥样硬化性疾病，而这些个体没有典型的风险因素和前驱症状。对角线耳褶（DELC）在医学文献中被描述为一种替代标志物，可以识别出隐匿性动脉粥样硬化的高危患者。然而，来自西班牙的医学或牙科文献都没有对此进行研究。大多数临床、血管造影和尸体报告支持这样一个前提，即 DELC 是一种有价值的血管外物理标志，能够区分一些有患冠状动脉粥样硬化风险的患者。然而，少数研究未能支持这一假设。最近的一些使用 B 型超声的报告也将 DELC 与颈动脉粥样硬化联系起来，另一份报告将 DELC 与全景放射照片上的钙化颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的存在联系起来。DELC 在头颈部癌症筛查检查中很容易看到。结合患者的病史、生命体征和全景片，DELC 可能有助于评估动脉粥样硬化的风险。
