Intima-media thickness - A marker of accelerated atherosclerosis in women with systemic lupus erythematosus

Accelerated atherosclerosis is an emerging problem in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We planned an observational study to determine whether in patients with SLE carotid intimamedia thickness (IMT) represents an early sign of accelerated atherosclerosis and to confirm that SLE adds to the traditional cardiovascular Framingham risk factors. Thirty females with SLE (age 18-65 years) underwent anamnestic, clinical, and laboratory evaluation and B-mode ultrasonography of carotid arteries, which provides a direct and noninvasive assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis. IMT measurements were performed on the right and left common carotid arteries 1.0 cm proximal to the carotid bulb and the mean IMT value was calculated with a dedicated software. The Framingham Point Score was also calculated for each subject. SLE patients showed a mean IMT value of 0.73 +/- 0.12 (SD) mm. This value is significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that reported for an age-matched healthy female control population (0.66 +/- 0.11 SD mm). A preliminary evaluation of the Framingham Point Score, estimating the 10-year risk for women to develop cardiovascular events, indicated an increased risk of early cardiovascular events in SLE patients. In our study we have shown that patients with SLE have an increased mean IMT value compared with a healthy females control. Moreover, the evaluation of the Framingham Point Score suggests that SLE is an additional risk factor for cardiovascular disease.