Prevalence of coronary artery calcification in young patients with SLE of predominantly Hispanic and African-American descent. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in SLE. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores predict CVD events, independent of traditional risk factors. Patients with SLE aged >45 years have an increased prevalence of CAC in a predominantly white population. Little is known about CAC in younger patients with SLE. We evaluated CAC in younger patients with SLE of predominantly African-American and Hispanic ancestry, compared with healthy controls. METHODS: We identified 76 patients with SLE meeting 1997 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria, without known coronary artery disease and who had a non-contrast chest CT performed as part of their clinical care, with images retrievable for calculation of CAC scores. Demographics, disease characteristics and comorbidities were ascertained and adjusted for. RESULTS: 42.1% of patients with SLE (mean age 40±13 years, 90% female, 33% Hispanic and 40% African-American) had CAC>0, 32% for age ≤45 years and 61.6% for age >45. Patients with SLE with CAC>0 were older and had more comorbid hypertension. Women with SLE aged ≤45 years, had a 12.6-fold higher adjusted odds of CAC>0 compared with age-matched and sex-matched controls (95% CI 5.2 to 30.7, p<0.001). Furthermore, 29% of patients with SLE aged 18-32 years (median disease duration of 5 years) had CAC>0. CONCLUSION: Patients with SLE aged ≤45 years have an increased prevalence of detectable CAC compared with the general population. Our data suggest that subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE develops early and warrants timely screening and cardioprotective interventions.

publication date

  • June 29, 2019

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC6606070

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85068874365

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1136/lupus-2019-000330

PubMed ID

  • 31321063

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 6

issue

  • 1