title: Aortic aneurysm association with SLE - a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aortic aneurysm is a life threatening cardiovascular complication in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between SLE and occurrence of aortic aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with SLE were compared with age- and sex-matched controls regarding the proportion of aortic aneurysm in a case-control study. Chi-square and t-tests were used for univariate analysis and a logistic regression model was used for multivariate analysis. The study was performed utilizing the medical database of Clalit Health Services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 5018 patients with SLE and 25,090 age- and sex-matched controls. The proportion of aortic aneurysm in patients with SLE was increased compared with the proportion in controls (0.6% and 0.1%, respectively, p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis SLE was associated with the coexistence of aortic aneurysms (odds ratio 2.06, 95% confidence interval 1.21-3.51).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with SLE have a higher proportion of aortic aneurysms as compared with matched controls. Therefore, physicians treating patients with SLE should be aware of this life threatening association.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiosano
authors.affiliation: Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Comaneshter
authors.affiliation: Chaim Sheba General Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tekes-Manova
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shovman
authors.affiliation: Chief Physician's Office, Clalit Health Services Tel Aviv, Israel Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel howard.amital@sheba.health.gov.il.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amital
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; aortic aneurysm; atherosclerosis; inflammation; vascular disease