Premature coronary-artery atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus.
BACKGROUND
Premature coronary artery disease is a major cause of illness and death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, but little is known about the prevalence, extent, and causes of coronary-artery atherosclerosis.


METHODS
We used electron-beam computed tomography to screen for the presence of coronary-artery calcification in 65 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (mean [+/-SD] age, 40.3+/-11.6 years) and 69 control subjects (mean age, 42.7+/-12.6 years) with no history of coronary artery disease. When calcification was detected, the extent was measured by means of the Agatston score. The frequency of risk factors for coronary artery disease was compared in patients and controls, and the relation between the patients' clinical characteristics and the presence or absence of coronary-artery calcification was examined.


RESULTS
The two groups were similar with respect to age, race, and sex. Coronary-artery calcification was more frequent in patients with lupus (20 of 65 patients) than in control subjects (6 of 69 subjects) (P=0.002). The mean calcification score was 68.9+/-244.2 in the patients and 8.8+/-41.8 (P<0.001) in controls. Levels of total, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were not elevated in patients with lupus, but levels of triglycerides (P=0.02) and homocysteine (P<0.001) were. Among patients with lupus, measures of disease activity were similar in those with and those without coronary-artery calcification, but those with calcification were more likely to be older (P<0.001) and male (P=0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, the prevalence of coronary-artery atherosclerosis is elevated and the age at onset is reduced. Early detection of atherosclerosis may provide an opportunity for therapeutic intervention.
Asanuma
Yu
Y
Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, USA.
Oeser
Annette
A
Shintani
Ayumi K
AK
Turner
Elizabeth
E
Olsen
Nancy
N
Fazio
Sergio
S
Linton
MacRae F
MF
Raggi
Paolo
P
Stein
C Michael
CM
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D001323:Autoantibodies; D008074:Lipoproteins