Longitudinal study on premature atherosclerosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Karina de Leeuw ; Andries J. Smit ; Eric de Groot ; Arie M. van Roon ; Cees G. Kallenberg ; Marc Bijl
• 关键词：Atherosclerosis ; Risk factors ; Systemic lupus erythematosus ; Intima– ; media thickness ; Longitudinal study
• 刊名：Atherosclerosis
• 出版年：2009
• 出版时间：October 2009
• 年：2009
• 卷：206
• 期：2
• 页码：546-550
• 全文大小：216 K

文摘

Objectives

To determine risk factors of accelerated atherosclerosis and progression of intima–media thickness (IMT) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

74 SLE patients, age ranging from 13 to 69 years, and 74 age- and sex-matched controls were included. IMT of the common carotid artery was determined by B-mode ultrasound imaging. Traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis and disease-related factors were recorded. Cardiovascular risk was estimated using systematic coronary risk evaluation (SCORE). Markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP) and endothelial activation (thrombomodulin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and von Willebrand factor) were determined. Measurements were repeated in 52 patients after a follow-up of 32 ± 7 months.

Results

IMT was increased in SLE patients compared to controls. Prevalence of smoking and hypertension, use of lipid-lowering drugs and SCORE were higher in patients, as well as levels of CRP and markers of endothelial activation. The age-related increase in IMT was significantly higher in patients than in controls. In multivariate analysis, age and disease duration was independently related to IMT. Increase in IMT during follow-up was related to age only.

Conclusion

The age-related increase in IMT is higher in SLE, indicating that atherosclerosis is accelerated in SLE patients. This is mainly due to disease-related risk factors, as disease duration was independently associated with IMT.