Systemic lupus erythematosus: the influence of disease-related and classical risk factors on intima media thickness and prevalence of atherosclerotic plaques - a preliminary report. Beneficial effect of immunosuppressive treatment on carotid intima media thickness

Abstract

We found a correlation between atherosclerosis and several classical cardiovascular risk factors and disease-related factors. A beneficial effect of continuous immunosuppressive treatment on IMT suggests that appropriate disease control with steroid-sparing agents may protect against atherosclerosis in SLE patients.

Risk of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

“… 5 Previous studies have demonstrated that immunosuppressive treatment reduced endothelial damage and improved patient condition in atherosclerosis. 34 , 35 This finding agrees with our result showing that the PAOD risk was higher in SLE patients without immunosuppressive treatment than in SLE patients with various treatments. Thus, we hypothesized that suppression of inflammation and disease control might reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with SLE.…”

Endocan Levels and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

“…18,19 Also, increased reactive oxygen radicals and apoptosis as well as endothelial dysfunction leads to an accelerated atherosclerotic process in patients with SLE. 20 A high cIMT was reported in patients with SLE 21,22 as in our study.…”

Atherosclerosis Biomarkers Among Egyptian Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Population Based Study

“…This agrees with Sazliyana who stated that there was no correlation between disease activity measured by SLEDAI and thickened cIMT, since atherosclerosis itself is the result of a chronic insult to the vessel wall, perhaps measuring disease activity at the current study time point is not a good indicator of the overall activity or severity of lupus activity throughout the course of the disease [26]. Our results disagree with Kisiel who stated that IMT was associated with SLEDAI [27]. This could be explained by different technical methods used and/or absence of standardization.…”