[Coronary involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus].
BACKGROUND
Coronary artery disease is an uncommon event in lupus erythematosus. The mechanisms responsible for coronary occlusion are probably complex and intermixed. We report three patients with lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibodies who had coronary artery disease diagnosed with coronary angiogram.


METHODS
Coronary artery disease occurred in three young patients aged from 21 to 35 years 3 to 11 years after the onset of lupus. They all had antiphospholipid antibodies. They had been treated with corticosteroids for 6 to 36 months. Two of them were smokers. Angiograms showed coronary occlusion two patients while the third one had probable myocardial microvasculopathy. The lupus was quiescent in all cases when coronary artery disease occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Antiphospholipid antibodies associated with smoking may be involved in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease in these 3 patients.
Lair
G
G
Clinique dermatologique, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Rouen.
Joly
P
P
Desrumeaux
G
G
Thomine
E
E
Godin
M
M
Tron
F
F
Letac
B
B
Lauret
P
P
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000032:analysis; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid