title: Prognostic value of flow-mediated dilation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a pilot prospective cohort study.
abstract: This pilot study evaluated the predictive value of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) for damage accrual in a cohort of SLE patients. Thirty-eight female SLE patients without cardiovascular involvement were enrolled. Clinical history, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, laboratory parameters, disease activity and damage and brachial artery FMD were collected at study entry and after a mean follow-up of 4.5 years. At enrollment, 18 patients (47%) presented active disease; mean FMD was 7.9 ± 3.1%, with no statistically significant differences between women with active and inactive disease. During the follow-up, 3 patients died and 14 accrued organ damage. Baseline FMD did not predict death and damage accrual. FMD showed significant decline over time, which was greater in patients with poor outcome (-3.9% vs -1.9%, p = 0.03). In conclusion, in a cohort of SLE patients, baseline FMD was not predictive of damage accrual. However, the latter was associated with progressive loss of FMD.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56127 Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: l.ghiadoni@med.unipi.it.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghiadoni
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Armenia
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raimo
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Plantinga
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: d'Ascanio
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; GenOMeC PhD, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carli
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taddei
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bombardieri
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mosca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018056:Hemorheology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018401:Sample Size; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014664:Vasodilation
keywords: Endothelial function; Flow mediated dilation; Prognosis; Systemic lupus erythematosus