What is Frank's ear?

Frank' sign or diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) is a diagonal earlobe crease that extends backwards from the tragus at an angle of 45 degree across the lobule to the ear edge of the auricle. It has been described as a dermatological marker for coronary artery disease.

How serious is Frank's sign?

Studies have shown an independent association between Frank's sign and cardiovascular diseases as well as other vascular diseases (peripheral and cerebrovascular) with a sensitivity of 62.1% and 69.2% for severe coronary atheroma in men and women, respectively, and specificity of 65.9% and 78.0%, respectively, for men ...

What causes frank sign in ear?

Frank's sign is a diagonal crease of the ear lobe, supposedly related to cardiac pathology, and has strongly been associated with coronary artery atherosclerosis.

How accurate is Frank's sign?

Diagnostic accuracy of diagonal earlobe crease for the detection of chronic coronary syndromes is insufficient. It only slightly changes pre-test probability, and its mere presence or absence should not affect the clinical management of the patients.

What are Frank's signs?

Frank's sign is a diagonal earlobe crease that extends 45° backwards from the tragus to the auricle, which is hypothesised to be a predictor of atherosclerotic disease.

Ear lobe crease as a marker of heart disease - Frank's sign

What does a diagonal line on your earlobe mean?

Bilateral diagonal earlobe crease has been positively correlated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The presence of DELC has been identified as an independent variable for CAD.

Can heart problems affect your ears?

The link between heart disease and hearing loss has been well established for years. Simply put, it's all about blood flow. The inner ears are extremely sensitive to blood flow. Heart problems can cause a buildup of plaque in the arteries and restrict blood flow, which also causes irreversible damage to the ear.

At what age does Frank's sign appear?

Frank's sign is associated with ageing, but is a useful diagnostic physical examination in adults less than 60 years of age.

What famous people have Frank's sign?

Frank described a possible association between an earlobe crease and heart disease. Notable people with this ear crease include Steven Spielberg and George W. Bush. In addition, sculptures of the Roman Emperor Hadrian worldwide display him with earlobe creases.

Is Frank's sign heart disease?

Frank' sign or diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) is a diagonal earlobe crease that extends backwards from the tragus at an angle of 45 degree across the lobule to the ear edge of the auricle. It has been described as a dermatological marker for coronary artery disease.

Is crease on earlobe sign of heart disease?

The ear lobe crease (ELC) has been defined as a deep wrinkle that extends backwards from the tragus to the auricle. It has been proposed that ELC is a predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD).

What is Frank's sign stroke?

A deep crease could be cause for concern

The condition, known as Frank's sign, is a diagonal earlobe crease that was found to have a relationship to risk of stroke. The researchers, who are based in Israel, studied 241 patients who were hospitalized with a stroke and found that 79 percent had Frank's sign.

Does a crease in your earlobe mean anything?

Earlobe creases are lines in the surface of earlobe of a child or young adult. The surface is otherwise smooth. The earlobe in children and young adults is normally smooth. Creases are seldom seen, but when present, they are sometimes associated with rare inherited syndromes.

What is Frank's sign after Covid?

The potential utility of a visible auricular marker was described previously in the medical literature. One of the best-known auricular markers, identified as Frank's Sign,^7,8 is the presence of a diagonal ear-lobe crease in patients at high risk for coronary artery disease.

What is Frank's sign Mayo Clinic?

Earlobe crease (ELC), also known as Frank's sign, is a wrinkle extending from the tragus to the outer border of the earlobe [1]. This condition has been linked to coronary artery disease and other vascular conditions related to atherosclerosis [2].

How do you get rid of creases in your ears?

If your earlobes are severely stretched or elongated, have been significantly damaged or injured, or if you don't like their shape, reconstructive earlobe surgery is an effective solution. Surgery is also the best way to repair enlarged piercing holes.

What is Grade 3 Frank's sign?

Grade 3 – A deep crease across the whole of the earlobe. Grade 2b – Creased more than halfway across the earlobe. Grade 2a – A superficial crease across the earlobe. Grade 1 – A small amount of wrinkling on the earlobe.

What is Frank illness?

Frank actually has ALS or multiple sclerosis.

Who is the most famous Frank in the world?

It was popularized particularly by Frank Sinatra (born Francis Albert Sinatra, 1915–1998).

How do you test for heart disease?

Which ear is connected to the heart?

The Connection

Your inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood flow, which is regulated by your cardiovascular system. This means a healthy heart helps maintain healthy ears. Unlike other body parts, your inner ear is only supplied blood by a single small artery.

Does high blood pressure cause clogged ears?

If your heart is racing and/or your blood pressure is elevated because you feel anxious (and/or you have a heart condition), your ears can be affected very quickly. Likewise, elevated stress hormones can alter the delicate balance of fluids in your ear, making them swell.

What drug can cause tinnitus?

What your earlobes say about your health?

Creased earlobes.

When they appear on your earlobes, they can be a sign of an underlying health issue such as coronary heart disease. Elastic tissue surrounding the blood vessels in both the ear and heart can break down and lead to a diagonal crease in the middle of the earlobe called Frank's sign.

Are pointed ears a birth defect?

Elf ear a type of ear deformity present at birth and often corrected early in life. Also called “Spock's ear” by some individuals, this ear defect results in an ear that's pointy on the outside. There's also an additional cartilage fold (crus) in the middle part of the ear around the area known as the scapha.