title: Arterial stiffness and peripheral arterial disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to evaluate arterial stiffness and the ankle brachial index (ABI), two markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease, in SLE. We studied 55 patients with SLE (12.7% males, age 53.3 ± 15.3 years) and 61 age- and gender-matched controls. Arterial stiffness was evaluated by measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx) and central systolic, diastolic, pulse and mean blood pressure (BP). Peripheral arterial disease was defined as ABI ≤ 0.90. Regarding markers of arterial stiffness, patients with SLE had lower PWV and AIx than controls (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). However, after adjusting for differences in cardiovascular risk factors between patients with SLE and controls, PWV and AIx did not differ between the two groups. Central systolic, diastolic, pulse and mean BP also did not differ between the two groups. In patients with SLE, PWV correlated independently with systolic BP (B = 0.05, p < 0.001) and waist/hip ratio (B = 6.72, p < 0.05). Regarding ABI, the lowest ABI was lower in patients with SLE than in controls (p < 0.005). However, after adjusting for differences in cardiovascular risk factors between patients with SLE and controls, the lowest ABI did not differ between the two groups. The prevalence of PAD also did not differ between patients with SLE and controls (10.0 and 5.4%, respectively; p = NS). Markers of arterial stiffness and the ABI do not appear to differ between patients with SLE and age- and gender-matched controls. However, given the small sample size, larger studies are needed to clarify whether SLE promotes arterial stiffness and PAD.
authors.affiliation: First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 1 Stilponos Kyriakidi Street, 54636, Thessaloníki, Greece. ktziomalos@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3172-1594
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tziomalos
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gkougkourelas
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarantopoulos
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bekiari
authors.affiliation: First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 1 Stilponos Kyriakidi Street, 54636, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makri
authors.affiliation: First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 1 Stilponos Kyriakidi Street, 54636, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raptis
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tselios
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pantoura
authors.affiliation: First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 1 Stilponos Kyriakidi Street, 54636, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Apostolos I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Hatzitolios
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloníki, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Ankle brachial index; Arterial stiffness; Augmentation index; Peripheral arterial disease; Pulse wave velocity; Systemic lupus erythematosus