No abstract

LN, a common complication of SLE, is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, particularly among AC patients. Despite encouraging results for RTx, once ESRD is established the prognosis is relatively poor and no improvement in preventing its development was achieved. Moreover, although a significant decrease in mortality was observed, it has remained stable for 10 years. These results suggest that we have maximized the benefits of conventional therapies and if further improvement is to be achieved, novel drug regimens must be developed.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), comprising coronary heart disease and stroke, is one of the most important causes of death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The risks of developing both clinical CVD and sub-clinical atherosclerosis are increased in patients with SLE. This increase is not fully explained by traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, hypertension and elevated cholesterol, and it is believed that immune dysfunction also contributes to CVD risk in SLE. In particular, recent studies have shown that abnormalities in both serum lipid profile and the autoantibody and T lymphocyte response to lipids may play a role in development of atherosclerosis. The standard CVD risk calculation algorithms based on traditional risk factors underestimate the risk of developing CVD in patients with SLE. Thus, novel algorithms incorporating new biomarkers such as pro-inflammatory high-density lipoprotein and use of imaging techniques such as carotid ultrasound scanning may become increasingly valuable.

No abstract