title: Antimalarials and cholesterol profile of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: A beneficial influence of antimalarials on lipid profile of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients has been recently claimed. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the effect of chloroquine on cholesterol levels of a Brazilian population with SLE. Sixty patients were studied, 95% females. Mean age was 48.7 years (SD 13.3 years). Overweight or obesity was documented in 27 cases (45%). Thirty-four patients (56.6%) were using chloroquine in standard dosage, while 33 (55%) were on corticosteroids. Hypercholesterolemia was present in 26 patients (43.3%), while low HDL cholesterol levels were seen in 18 cases (30%). Normal cholesterolemia was documented equally in users and non-users of antimalarials (P > 0.20). After adjustment for statin and corticosteroid intake by multivariate analysis, cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels did not significantly differ in users or non-users of chloroquine (P > 0.05). There was no association of chloroquine intake with low body mass index (P = 0.314). Our findings suggest that antimalarial intake by itself does not distinguish cholesterol profiles in SLE patients.
authors.affiliation: Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul – PUC-RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossoni
authors.forename: Melissa Cláudia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bisi
authors.forename: Mauro Waldemar
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Keiserman
authors.forename: Henrique Luiz
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Staub
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D002738:Chloroquine; D002784:Cholesterol