Frank's sign is a diagonal crease in the ear lobe extending from the tragus across the lobule to the rear edge of the auricle.[1] The sign is named after Sanders T. Frank.[1]
Normal ear anatomyEarlobe creases seen in a Japanese angina patient
It has been hypothesised that Frank's sign is indicative of cardiovascular disease[2][3] and/or diabetes.[4] Some studies have described Frank's sign as a marker of cardiovascular disease but not linked to the severity of the condition.[5] In contrast, other studies have rebutted any association between Frank's sign and coronary artery disease in diabetics.[6] There have also been reported cases of Frank's sign being a predictor of cerebral infarctions.[7] A link between Frank's sign and premature aging and the loss of dermal and vascularfibers has also been hypothesized.[8] Some studies have focused on association between bilateral earlobe crease and coronary artery disease.[9] It is probably prudent to consider Frank's Sign alongside other clinical markers of physiological ageing, rather than utilising it as a stand-alone sign in the identification of coronary artery disease.[10]
^ abFrank ST (August 1973). "Aural sign of coronary-artery disease". N. Engl. J. Med. 289 (6): 327–8. doi:10.1056/NEJM197308092890622. PMID 4718047.
^Mallinson, Tom; Brooke, David (2017). "Frank's Sign as a clinical marker of cardiovascular disease". Journal of Paramedic Practice. 9 (1): 8–10. doi:10.12968/jpar.2017.9.1.8.
^Miot, H.A., Molina de Medeiros, M. etal (2006). Association between coronary artery disease and the diagonal earlobe an preauricular creases in men. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia. vol.81 no.1
^Mustafa Ahmed, M.D. (13 August 2014). "Earlobe Crease And Heart Disease – Fact Or Myth?". Abel Healthcare. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
^Lesbre JP, Castier B, Tribouilloy C, Labeille B, Isorni C (January 1987). "[Frank's sign and coronary disease]". Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) (in French). 36 (1): 37–41. PMID 3827155.
^Davis TM, Balme M, Jackson D, Stuccio G, Bruce DG (October 2000). "The diagonal ear lobe crease (Frank's sign) is not associated with coronary artery disease or retinopathy in type 2 diabetes: the Fremantle Diabetes Study". Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine. 30 (5): 573–7. doi:10.1111/j.1445-5994.2000.tb00858.x. PMID 11108067.
^Nazzal, Saleh; Hijazi, Basem; Khalila, Luai; Blum, Arnon (April 28, 2017). "Diagonal Earlobe Crease (Frank's Sign): A Predictor of Cerebral Vascular Events". The American Journal of Medicine. 130 (11): 1324.e1–1324.e5. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.03.059. PMID 28460854.
^George Griffing, M.D. (March 2014). "Frank's Sign". The New England Journal of Medicine. 370 (15): e15. doi:10.1056/NEJMicm1213868. PMID 24597888.
^Evrengül H, Dursunoğlu D, Kaftan A, et al. (2004). "Bilateral diagonal earlobe crease and coronary artery disease: a significant association". Dermatology. 209 (4): 271–5. doi:10.1159/000080847. PMID 15539887. S2CID 26858693.
^Mallinson TE, Brooke D (2017). "Limited Diagnostic Potential of Diagonal Earlobe Crease". Ann Emerg Med. 70 (4): 602–603. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.06.013. PMID 28946988.
^"Frank's Sign – Diagonal earlobe crease (DELC)". Stanford Medicine. July 2, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
^Livingston, David (November 29, 2018). "Dick Van Dyke (age 92), Premiere Of Disney's 'Mary Poppins Returns' - Arrivals". gettyimages.com. Getty Images. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
^ abLindsay, Jessica (March 27, 2018). "If you have this mark on your ear, it could be a warning you have heart disease". Metro. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
^Wachs, Daliah (August 29, 2018). "Deep Forehead Wrinkles May Suggest Heart Disease Risk". KDWN. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
External linksedit
Further image of Frank's Sign
April 12, 2024
frank, sign, diagonal, crease, lobe, extending, from, tragus, across, lobule, rear, edge, auricle, sign, named, after, sanders, frank, normal, anatomyearlobe, creases, seen, japanese, angina, patientit, been, hypothesised, that, indicative, cardiovascular, dis. Frank s sign is a diagonal crease in the ear lobe extending from the tragus across the lobule to the rear edge of the auricle 1 The sign is named after Sanders T Frank 1 Normal ear anatomyEarlobe creases seen in a Japanese angina patientIt has been hypothesised that Frank s sign is indicative of cardiovascular disease 2 3 and or diabetes 4 Some studies have described Frank s sign as a marker of cardiovascular disease but not linked to the severity of the condition 5 In contrast other studies have rebutted any association between Frank s sign and coronary artery disease in diabetics 6 There have also been reported cases of Frank s sign being a predictor of cerebral infarctions 7 A link between Frank s sign and premature aging and the loss of dermal and vascular fibers has also been hypothesized 8 Some studies have focused on association between bilateral earlobe crease and coronary artery disease 9 It is probably prudent to consider Frank s Sign alongside other clinical markers of physiological ageing rather than utilising it as a stand alone sign in the identification of coronary artery disease 10 Contents 1 Severity 2 Notable individuals with Frank s sign 3 References 4 External linksSeverity editGrade 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 11 Notable individuals with Frank s sign editDick Van Dyke 12 George W Bush 13 Mel Gibson 14 Steven Spielberg 13 References edit a b Frank ST August 1973 Aural sign of coronary artery disease N Engl J Med 289 6 327 8 doi 10 1056 NEJM197308092890622 PMID 4718047 Mallinson Tom Brooke David 2017 Frank s Sign as a clinical marker of cardiovascular disease Journal of Paramedic Practice 9 1 8 10 doi 10 12968 jpar 2017 9 1 8 Miot H A Molina de Medeiros M etal 2006 Association between coronary artery disease and the diagonal earlobe an preauricular creases in men Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia vol 81 no 1 Mustafa Ahmed M D 13 August 2014 Earlobe Crease And Heart Disease Fact Or Myth Abel Healthcare Retrieved 8 February 2015 Lesbre JP Castier B Tribouilloy C Labeille B Isorni C January 1987 Frank s sign and coronary disease Ann Cardiol Angeiol Paris in French 36 1 37 41 PMID 3827155 Davis TM Balme M Jackson D Stuccio G Bruce DG October 2000 The diagonal ear lobe crease Frank s sign is not associated with coronary artery disease or retinopathy in type 2 diabetes the Fremantle Diabetes Study Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine 30 5 573 7 doi 10 1111 j 1445 5994 2000 tb00858 x PMID 11108067 Nazzal Saleh Hijazi Basem Khalila Luai Blum Arnon April 28 2017 Diagonal Earlobe Crease Frank s Sign A Predictor of Cerebral Vascular Events The American Journal of Medicine 130 11 1324 e1 1324 e5 doi 10 1016 j amjmed 2017 03 059 PMID 28460854 George Griffing M D March 2014 Frank s Sign The New England Journal of Medicine 370 15 e15 doi 10 1056 NEJMicm1213868 PMID 24597888 Evrengul H Dursunoglu D Kaftan A et al 2004 Bilateral diagonal earlobe crease and coronary artery disease a significant association Dermatology 209 4 271 5 doi 10 1159 000080847 PMID 15539887 S2CID 26858693 Mallinson TE Brooke D 2017 Limited Diagnostic Potential of Diagonal Earlobe Crease Ann Emerg Med 70 4 602 603 doi 10 1016 j annemergmed 2017 06 013 PMID 28946988 Frank s Sign Diagonal earlobe crease DELC Stanford Medicine July 2 2015 Retrieved January 1 2021 Livingston David November 29 2018 Dick Van Dyke age 92 Premiere Of Disney s Mary Poppins Returns Arrivals gettyimages com Getty Images Retrieved November 30 2018 a b Lindsay Jessica March 27 2018 If you have this mark on your ear it could be a warning you have heart disease Metro Retrieved January 1 2021 Wachs Daliah August 29 2018 Deep Forehead Wrinkles May Suggest Heart Disease Risk KDWN Retrieved January 1 2021 External links editFurther image of Frank s Sign Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frank 27s sign amp oldid 1172703339, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
