OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and estimate the associated risk factors for CVD.

METHODSThis cross-sectional study was conducted in 879 SLE patients treated in our hospital between March, 2006 and March, 2011. The demographic data and the clinical data including SLE duration, therapeutic regimen, renal pathological data, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and associated biochemical parameters were analyzed. Cardiovascular ultrasound was used for detecting and analyzing the cardiovascular structural and functional abnormalities.

RESULTSEighty-five cases of CVD were found in the 879 SLE cases (9.7%). After age stratification, CVD was identified in 5.8%, 9.0%, 14.0% and 20.0% in SLE patients aged ≤19, 20-39, 40-59 and ≥60 years, respectively, showing a tendency to increase with age (P=0.002). The prevalence of CVD differed significantly between patients with and those without lupus nephritis (P=0.001). Among the 85 patients with CVD, 23.5% (20/85) had left ventricular hypertrophy, 49.5% (42/85) had congestive heart failure, 20.0% (17/85) had stroke, 3.5% (3/85) had angina pectoris, and 3.5% (3/85) had peripheral CVD. Compared to those without CVD, patients with CVD had a longer SLE duration (P=0.002), a longer time of steroids treatment (P=0.026), a higher blood pressure (P=0.0006), a lower eGFR (P=0.001), and a lower concentration of HDL (P=0.007). Logistic regression analysis showed that SBP, eGFR, HDL, SLE duration, SLEDAI index, serum C3 and hs-CRP were the risk factors for CVD in SLE patients (P=0.033).

CONCLUSIONSLE is associated with a high risk of CVD which increases with age, and SLE patients with lupus nephritis have an even higher risk for CVD. SBP, eGFR, HDL, SLE duration, SLEDAI index, serum C3 and hs-CRP are the risk factors for CVD in SLE patients.