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. 2016 Jan 20;16:17. doi: 10.1186/s12872-016-0193-7

Table 2.

Multivariable analysis of the association between earlobe crease and selected cardiovascular risk factors, CoLaus study, Lausanne, 2009–2012

Adjusted for Age and gender Age, gender and body mass index
Earlobe crease Absence (n = 3829) Presence (n = 806) P-value Absence (n = 3829) Presence (n = 806) P-value
BMI (kg/m2) 26.0 ± 0.1 27.0 ± 0.2 <0.001
Abdominal obesity 1 (ref.) 1.20 (1.02; 1.42) <0.05 1 (ref.) 0.85 (0.66; 1.09) 0.19
Smoking status
 Never
 Former 1 (ref.) 1.17 (0.98; 1.40) 0.08 1 (ref.) 1.15 (0.96; 1.37) 0.14
 Current 1 (ref.) 1.11 (0.89; 1.38) 0.34 1 (ref.) 1.16 (0.93; 1.45) 0.18
Blood pressure status
 SBP (mm Hg)a 126 ± 1 126 ± 1 0.43 126 ± 1 126 ± 1 0.89
 DBP (mm Hg)a 78 ± 1 79 ± 1 0.11 78 ± 1 78 ± 1 0.53
 Hypertension 1 (ref.) 1.41 (1.18; 1.67) <0.001 1 (ref.) 1.30 (1.08; 1.56) <0.01
Lipids (mmol/L)b
 Total cholesterol 5.70 ± 0.02 5.68 ± 0.04 0.69 5.70 ± 0.02 5.68 ± 0.04 0.53
 LDL cholesterol 3.45 ± 0.01 3.45 ± 0.03 0.94 3.45 ± 0.01 3.43 ± 0.03 0.57
 HDL cholesterol 1.64 ± 0.01 1.61 ± 0.02 0.05 1.64 ± 0.01 1.64 ± 0.01 0.93
 Triglycerides 1.36 ± 0.01 1.40 ± 0.03 0.05* 1.36 ± 0.01 1.36 ± 0.03 0.65*
Glycaemic status
 Glucose (mmol/L)c 5.88 ± 0.02 5.96 ± 0.04 0.06 5.88 ± 0.02 5.92 ± 0.04 0.36
 Insulin (μIU/mL)c 8.3 ± 0.1 8.8 ± 0.2 0.01* 8.3 ± 0.1 8.4 ± 0.2 0.78*
 HOMA-IRc 2.29 ± 0.04 2.47 ± 0.09 0.07 2.30 ± 0.04 2.33 ± 0.08 0.72
 Diabetes 1 (ref.) 1.43 (1.15; 1.79) <0.01 1 (ref.) 1.25 (0.99; 1.59) 0.07
 High HOMA-IR 1 (ref.) 1.19 (1.00; 1.42) <0.05 1 (ref.) 0.95 (0.78; 1.16) 0.62
Metabolic syndrome 1 (ref.) 1.28 (1.08; 1.51) <0.01 1 (ref.) 1.03 (0.84; 1.26) 0.79

For quantitative variables, multivariable analyses were performed by ANOVA and the results are expressed as adjusted mean ± standard error. For categorical variables (excluding smoking), multivariable analyses were performed by logistic regression and results are expressed as odds ratio (95 % confidence interval). For smoking, multivariable analyses were performed using multivariate (polytomous) logistic regression and the results are expressed as relative risk ratio (95 % confidence interval)

BMI body mass index; SBP systolic blood pressure; DBP diastolic blood pressure; LDL low-density lipoprotein; HDL high-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; high HOMA-IR is defined as a HOMA-IR ≥ 2.6; abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome are defined by the NCEP ATP-III criteria; hypertension is defined as SBP > 140 or DBP > 90 mm Hg or anti-hypertensive medication; diabetes is defined as fasting plasma glucose >7.0 mmol/L or antidiabetes medication

*P-value calculated on log-transformed values

a,adjusting for antihypertensive medication

b,adjusting for hypolipidemic medication

c,adjusting for antidiabetes medication