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Longitudinal evolution of risk of coronary heart disease in systemic lupus erythematosus

Igor Karp1, Michal Abrahamowicz, Paul R Fortin

  • 1Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. igor.karp.1@umontreal.ca

The Journal of Rheumatology
|April 3, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) show faster increases in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors like cholesterol and blood glucose over time compared to controls. This accelerated progression contributes to their elevated CHD risk.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Rheumatology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
  • Understanding the longitudinal changes in CHD risk factors in SLE patients is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term evolution of CHD risk factors in patients with SLE.
  • To compare the temporal changes in these risk factors between SLE patients and control populations.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 115 SLE patients (Montreal General Hospital Lupus Clinic) and 4367 controls (Framingham Offspring Study).
  • Assessed temporal changes in total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI), and blood glucose.
  • Examined the influence of SLE duration on risk factors and compared SLE patients to controls over time.

Main Results:

  • Longer SLE duration correlated with higher SBP and blood glucose levels in SLE patients.
  • SLE patients exhibited accelerated increases in total cholesterol, blood glucose, and estimated CHD risk compared to controls.
  • The rate of BMI increase was lower in SLE patients than in controls.

Conclusions:

  • Accelerated increases in specific CHD risk factors contribute to the elevated CHD risk observed in SLE patients.
  • The divergence in risk factor trajectories between SLE patients and controls highlights a critical aspect of cardiovascular risk in this population.
Abstract

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