Testing
Combining the diagonal earlobe crease with Lp(a) gives a 0.729 AUC for diagnosing coronary heart disease, 862-patient study finds (Sci Rep 2025)
Original title: Diagnostic value of the diagonal earlobe crease in combination with lipoprotein(a) in coronary heart disease
This study enrolled 862 patients with chest pain suspected of coronary heart disease (CHD) admitted to Chengde Central Hospital between September 2021 and December 2023, classified by coronary angiography results, to test the diagnostic value of the diagonal earlobe crease (DELC), a physical sign, combined with Lp(a). Multifactorial logistic analysis found both DELC and Lp(a) positively correlated with CHD, alongside age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, alopecia and triglycerides as independent risk factors; the resulting diagnostic model showed good fit (Hosmer-Lemeshow P = 0.683). Stratifying patients into four risk groups by these factors, groups C and D had significantly higher odds of CHD than the reference group after multivariable correction. The combined DELC and Lp(a) model achieved an AUC of 0.729 for diagnosing CHD, which the authors describe as a strong diagnostic value, suggesting the low-cost physical sign and Lp(a) together have practical clinical application for CHD screening.
Original abstract
To investigate the diagnostic value of diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) combined with lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] for coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 862 chest paint patients suspected of CHD were admitted to Chengde Central Hospital between September 2021 and December 2023. According to CAG results, patients were categorized into the experimental group and the control group. Multifactorial logistic analysis was used to analyze association between DELC and Lp(a) levels with the risk of developing CHD. The diagnostic efficacy of DELC, Lp(a) for CHD was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC). The results showed that DELC and Lp(a) were positively correlated with CHD. Age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, alopecia, DELC, TG and Lp(a) were independent risk factors for CHD. The CHD diagnostic model was constructed based on these risk factors, with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = 0.683) confirming a good fit. The subjects were categorized into group A, B, C, and D, taking group A as the reference group, and the OR values of groups C and D were significantly increased after multi-factor correction. The area under the DELC and Lp(a) curves calculated by ROC curve was 0.729, indicating a strong diagnostic value for CHD. DELC and Lp(a) were independent risk factors for CHD. The combination of DELC and Lp(a) had good application value in the diagnosis of CHD.
Summary written by lp-a.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 17 August 2026. Methods.