Sideburns Obesity Syndrome: Is Sideburn Fat the Window to the Heart?

Abstract

Despite significant advancements in cardiovascular diagnostic technology, physical examination signs remain credible diagnostic indicators of coronary artery disease. Here, we report a case of a 50-year-old male patient with premature coronary artery disease associated with a novel physical sign of bilateral symmetrical bulging of the sideburn areas of the face. The sideburns correspond anatomically to the buccal fat pad which is composed of visceral adipose tissue. Visceral obesity is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, independent of total body weight, with some suggestion of a causal association. Therefore, isolated buccal visceral obesity (sideburn obesity syndrome) could be a marker for premature coronary artery disease.

Unified Anatomical Explanation of Diagonal Earlobe Creases, Preauricular Creases, and Paired Creases of the Helix

“…The population-based study of coronary heart disease, among 1,237 American Japanese men aged 50-74, found that "creases are prevalent in fat men" without significant correlation with coronary artery disease (CAD) [12]. In January of 2021, the author of the current article reported an association between visceral obesity of the BFP and premature coronary disease and termed the condition "sideburns obesity syndrome" [13].…”