Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in low-income childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients 

Abstract

Objective To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with childhood onset Systemic Lupus Erithematosus (cSLE) and controls from Northeastern Brazil and to verify its association with specific SLE parameters and cardiovascular risk factors.Methods The prevalence of MetS was assessed cross-sectionally in 58 patients with cSLE and 18 age -matched controls from the local community, using the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the Brazilian Association of Nutrology (ABRAN). Information was collected by clinical examination and standardized questionnaires, investigating the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), personal and family history of cardiovascular disease and obesity and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.Results The prevalence of MetS according to ABRAN criteria was higher in cSLE than in controls (9% vs. 0%; p = 0.2) and according to IDF criteria was (10,3% vs 0%; p = 0.15), but without statistical significance. Importantly, 91.4% of patients were from a low-income household. Patients with MetS according to ABRAN also had lower ESR levels (p = 0.039), higher total cholesterol (p = 0.013), HDL-c (p = 0.007) and triglycerides (p = 0.001) and a lower albumin level (p = 0.016). Patients with MetS according to IDF had higher SDI scores (p = 0.036). Higher current dose of mycophenolate mofetil was noted (p = 0.033) and use of azathioprine was less frequent (p = 0.033) in the MetS.Conclusion The prevalence of Mets in the patients with cSLE seems to be low. There was association of MetS with higher cumulative damage indices. We did not observe any association with clinical manifestations, autoantibody profile and dose of corticosteroids.