Poor outcomes after acute myocardial infarction in systemic lupus erythematosus

Mortality patterns of SLE and the associated risk factors in Korean patients: a nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the mortality patterns of SLE and the associated risk factors in Koreans.

METHODS

Using the National Health Insurance database spanning 2008 to 2018, incident cases of SLE in patients aged 10-79 years were included. We analysed the all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality, stratifying by sex and age. The mortality rate (MR) was calculated as the number of deaths per 100 000 person-years (PYs). The causes of death were identified by the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes during hospitalisation or emergency visit prior to death. A generalised estimating equation model was employed for risk factor analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 11 375 incident SLE cases among patients with an average age of 42.3±16.7 years were recruited (86.1% female). During 57 658 PYs, 728 deaths occurred (MR 1262.62/100 000 PYs). The MR among men (2718.86/100 000 PYs) exceeded that among women (1060.57/100 000 PYs). The leading causes of death were SLE-related conditions (381.56/100 000 PYs), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (202.92/100 000 PYs), cancer (175.17/100 000 PYs) and infection (143.95/100 000 PYs). Of the SLE-related mortality, the key risk factors were pulmonary complications, such as pulmonary alveolar haemorrhage (OR 9.93), pulmonary arterial hypertension (OR 3.77) and interstitial lung disease (OR 3.27).

CONCLUSIONS

Among Korean patients with SLE, SLE-related conditions were the leading causes of mortality. However, CVD and cancer were also identified as the main causes of mortality. Furthermore, pulmonary manifestations were significantly associated with SLE-related mortality.

Association of race and ethnicity with mortality in adults with SLE: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Ethnicity and health outcomes are intrinsically interrelated, although mechanisms are complex. SLE is a disease with higher incidence in Asian, Black, Hispanic and Indigenous populations than in White populations. SLE is associated with premature mortality, but it is unclear if ethnicity impacts on health outcomes as studies are frequently underpowered. We aimed to describe the association between SLE and mortality across different racial and ethnic groups using meta-analysis.

METHODS

We identified studies of adults with SLE that reported mortality, stratified by racial and ethnic group, through a systematic literature review. We used a pairwise meta-analysis to determine the pooled odds ratio (OR) of death for those from underserved groups compared with those of White race and ethnicity.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven studies, comprising 85 578 patients with SLE, were included. Mortality was higher in Black patients (OR 1.30 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.46)) and Indigenous patients (OR 1.47 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.94)), while Asian and Hispanic patients showed no significant differences compared with White patients with SLE. Seventy per cent of included studies were conducted in the USA and when excluded, the significant difference in mortality between Black and White individuals with SLE was no longer seen (OR 0.84 (95% CI 0.54 to 1.31)).

CONCLUSION

Overall, patients with SLE from Black or Indigenous racial and ethnic groups had higher mortality than those of White race and ethnicity. We observed no significant association in the mortality of Black patients compared with White patients from non-USA cohorts, but a scarcity of data outside of the USA was highlighted. We promote caution in the use of race and ethnicity as a factor in determining mortality risk until more generalisable data are available.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42023379034.

Management and long-term outcomes of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases experiencing ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: The SCALIM registry

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs) are at increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, the prognostic impact of CID after an acute coronary event has been poorly studied.

AIMS

To examine the effect of history of CID on long-term outcome in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

We analysed data from SCALIM, a regional registry that prospectively enrolled patients with STEMI between June 2011 and May 2019. The presence of CID (including inflammatory bowel diseases, rheumatic conditions, inflammatory skin diseases, multiple sclerosis, vasculitis and autoimmune diseases) was identified. The primary outcome was all-cause death. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, peripheral vascular events and rehospitalization for cardiovascular conditions.

RESULTS

Data from 1941 patients with STEMI (mean age 64.8±14.1 years, 75.1% men) were analyzed. The prevalence of any CID was 4.6% (n=89). After a mean follow-up of 3.4±2.6 years, the overall death rate was 16.2%, with similar 5-year survival between patients with and without CID (74.2% vs. 81.9%, respectively; P=0.121), with no significant mortality excess (hazard ratio: 1.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.73-1.82; P=0.55). However, among CID patients, 35 (39.3%) were on corticosteroid therapy and showed decreased 5-year survival (52.8% vs. 89.5% without corticosteroids; P=0.001). We found no increased rate of secondary endpoints, except for peripheral vascular events (5-year survival free of peripheral events: 93.3% vs. 98.6% in those without CID; P=0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 1 in 20 patients with STEMI has CID. We found no effect of CID on long-term survival. However, patients on corticosteroid therapy appeared to have higher rates of death during follow-up. Whether this finding is related to the use of corticosteroids or to the more progressive nature of their condition warrants further investigation.

Clinical Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction Hospitalizations with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: An Analysis of Nationwide Readmissions Database

BACKGROUND

Hospital readmissions post-acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and also incur huge healthcare costs. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at an increased risk of AMI likely due to multi-factorial mechanisms including higher levels of inflammation and accelerated atherosclerosis. We investigated if patients with SLE are at higher risk of hospital readmissions post-AMI compared to the patients without SLE. Furthermore, we sought to assess if inpatient outcomes of AMI in SLE patients are different than AMI without SLE.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult hospital discharges with the principal diagnosis of AMI using the Nationwide Readmissions Database in 2018. We used the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification/Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-CM/PCS) to identify comorbid conditions. The primary outcome was all-cause 30-day readmission. Secondary outcomes were cardiac procedures at index hospitalization (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] and coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG]), and adverse events at index hospitalization, including inpatient mortality, cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, cardiac assist device, coronary artery dissection, acute kidney injury, gastrointestinal bleeding, stroke, post-procedural hemorrhage, sepsis, and hospital costs. Complex samples multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association of SLE with outcomes.

RESULTS

The patients with AMI and SLE had a higher 30-day readmission rate (15.5% vs 12.5%, aOR=1.33, CI 1.12 - 1.57, p=0.001), and inpatient mortality (aOR=1.40 CI 1.1 - 1.79, p=0.006) compared to the AMI without SLE cohort. The rates of acute kidney injury (aOR=1.41 CI 1.21 - 1.64, p<0.0001) and sepsis (aOR= 1.61 CI 1.16 - 2.23, p=0.004) were higher among AMI with SLE group as compared to AMI without SLE group. Within the AMI with SLE cohort, the independent predictors of readmission were diabetes mellitus (aOR=1.38 CI 0.99 - 1.91, p=0.054), peripheral vascular disease (aOR=2.10 CI 1.22 - 3.62, p=0.007), anemia (aOR=1.50 CI 1.07 - 2.11, p=0.019), end-stage renal disease (aOR=1.91 CI 1.10 - 3.31, p=0.021), and congestive heart failure (aOR=1.55 CI 1.12 - 2.16, p=0.009). The length of stay in days during index hospitalization (5.10 vs 4.67) was similar in both cohorts. In the multivariable-adjusted regression model, no statistically significant differences were noted between the AMI with SLE and AMI without SLE cohorts for most inpatient adverse events during the index hospitalization CONCLUSION: Patients with AMI and SLE had higher inpatient mortality during the index hospitalization and higher 30-day hospital readmissions compared to AMI patients without SLE. There were no significant differences in most of the other major inpatient outcomes between the two cohorts.

Cardiovascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus

There is a well-known increased risk for cardiovascular disease that contributes to morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Major adverse cardiovascular events and subclinical atherosclerosis are both increased in this patient population. While traditional cardiac risk factors do contribute to the increased risk that is seen, lupus disease-related factors, medications, and genetic factors also impact the overall risk. SLE-specific inflammation, including oxidized lipids, cytokines, and altered immune cell subtypes all are likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic plaques. Research is ongoing to identify biomarkers that can help clinicians to predict which SLE patients are at the greatest risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). While SLE-specific treatment regimens for the prevention of cardiovascular events have not been identified, current strategies include minimization of traditional cardiac risk factors and lowering of overall lupus disease activity.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with poor outcome after acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is not clear whether or not SLE is associated with poor outcomes after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database, we identified the SLE group as patients with AMI who have a concurrent discharge diagnosis of SLE. We also selected an age-, sex-, hospital level-, and admission calendar year-matched non-SLE group at a ratio of 1:3 from the total non-SLE group. One hundred fifty-one patients with SLE, 113,791 patients without SLE, and 453 matched patients without SLE were admitted with a diagnosis of AMI. Patients with SLE were significantly younger, predominantly female, and more likely to have chronic kidney disease than those without SLE. The in-hospital mortality rates were 12.6%, 9.0%, and 4.2% in the SLE, total non-SLE, and matched non-SLE groups, respectively. The in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the SLE group than in the total non-SLE group (OR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.2-3.26) and the matched non-SLE group (mortality OR = 2.20; 95% CI = 1.06-4.58). In addition, the SLE group was associated with a borderline significant risk of prolonged hospitalization when compared with the non-SLE group.

CONCLUSION

SLE is associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality and a borderline significantly higher risk of prolonged hospitalization after AMI.

Comparison of PREDICTS atherosclerosis biomarker changes after initiation of new treatments in patients with SLE

Objective

Patients with SLE have an increased risk of atherosclerosis (ATH) that is not adequately explained by traditional risk factors. We previously described the Predictors of Risk for Elevated Flares, Damage Progression, and Increased Cardiovascular disease in PaTients with SLE (PREDICTS) atherosclerosis-risk panel, which includes proinflammatory HDL (piHDL), leptin, soluble tumour necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) and homocysteine, as well as age and diabetes. A high PREDICTS score confers 28-fold increased odds for future atherosclerosis in SLE. The aim of this study is to determine whether PREDICTS biomarkers are modifiable by common lupus therapies.

Methods

This prospective observational study included SLE subjects started on new lupus treatments. Leptin, sTWEAK, homocysteine and antioxidant function of HDL were measured at baseline (prior to drug initiation), 6 weeks and 12 weeks.

Results

16 subjects started mycophenolate (MMF), 18 azathioprine (AZA) and 25 hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). In MMF-treated subjects, HDL function progressively improved from 2.23 ± 1.32 at baseline to 1.37±0.81 at 6 weeks (p=0.02) and 0.93±0.54 at 12 weeks (p=0.009). sTWEAK levels also improved in MMF-treated subjects from 477.5±447.1 to 290.3±204.6 pg/mL after 12 weeks (p=0.04), but leptin and homocysteine levels were not significantly changed. In HCQ-treated subjects, only HDL function improved from 1.80±1.29 at baseline to 1.03±0.74 after 12 weeks (p=0.05). There were no changes in the AZA group. MMF treatment was still associated with significant improvements in HDL function after accounting for potential confounders such as total prednisone dose and changes in disease activity. Overall, the mean number of high-risk PREDICTS biomarkers at week 12 significantly decreased in the entire group of patients started on a new lupus therapy (2.1±0.9 to 1.8±0.9, p=0.02) and in the MMF-treated group (2.4±0.8 vs 1.8±0.9, p=0.003), but not in the AZA or HCQ groups. In multivariate analysis, the odds of having a high PREDICTS atherosclerosis risk score at 12 weeks were lower with MMF treatment (OR 0.002, 95% CI 0.000 to 0.55, p=0.03).

Conclusions

12 weeks of MMF therapy improves the overall PREDICTS atherosclerosis biomarker profile. Further studies will determine whether biomarker changes reflect decreases in future cardiovascular events.

Acute Myocardial Infarction Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample)

One of the major causes of mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is acute myocardial infarction. Whether in-hospital outcomes and management of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) are different in SLE patients compared with those without SLE from large, recent dataset is unclear. We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Database from 2005 to 2014 and identified STEMI and NSTEMI admissions with and without SLE. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were revascularization strategy (percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass surgery, or thrombolytics), medical therapy rates (no reperfusion), and major adverse clinical events. A propensity-matched cohort was created to compare these outcomes. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated from the propensity-matched cohort. A total of 321,048 STEMI admissions, of which 1,001 (0.31%) and 572,971 NSTEMI admissions, of which 2,134 (0.37%) were SLE, were identified. In those with STEMI, 882 SLE and non-SLE admissions were propensity-matched. In-hospital mortality (9.1% vs 11.8%, OR 0.75, p = 0.07), revascularization strategy, medical therapy rates, and major adverse events were similar. Similarly, in those with NSTEMI, 1,770 SLE and 1,775 non-SLE were matched. In-hospital mortality (4.1% vs 4.50%, OR 0.90, p = 0.51), coronary artery bypass surgery, medical therapy rates, and major adverse events were mostly similar but the rate of percutaneous coronary intervention was higher in SLE (32.9% vs 29.6%, OR 1.16, p = 0.04). For both STEMI and NSTEMI, hospital cost and length of stay were similar between SLE and non-SLE cohorts. From a large administrative database in the United States, revascularization strategies and in-hospital outcomes of acute coronary syndrome were mostly similar between SLE and non-SLE.

Complementary role of cardiovascular imaging and laboratory indices in early detection of cardiovascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been documented in >50% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, due to a complex interplay between traditional risk factors and SLE-related factors. Various processes, such as coronary artery disease, myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, vasculitis, valvular heart disease, pulmonary hypertension and heart failure, account for CVD complications in SLE.

Methods

Electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography (echo), nuclear techniques, cardiac computed tomography (CT), cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and cardiac catheterization (CCa) can detect CVD in SLE at an early stage. ECG and echo are the cornerstones of CVD evaluation in SLE. The routine use of cardiac CT and nuclear techniques is limited by radiation exposure and use of iodinated contrast agents. Additionally, nuclear techniques are also limited by low spatial resolution that does not allow detection of sub-endocardial and sub-epicardial lesions. CCa gives definitive information about coronary artery anatomy and pulmonary artery pressure and offers the possibility of interventional therapy. However, it carries the risk of invasive instrumentation. Recently, CMR was proved of great value in the evaluation of cardiac function and the detection of myocardial inflammation, stress-rest perfusion defects and fibrosis.

Results

An algorithm for CVD evaluation in SLE includes clinical, laboratory, ECG and echo assessment as well as CMR evaluation in patients with inconclusive findings, persistent cardiac symptoms despite normal standard evaluation, new onset of life-threatening arrhythmia/heart failure and/or as a tool to select SLE patients for CCa.

Conclusions

A non-invasive approach including clinical, laboratory and imaging evaluation is key for early CVD detection in SLE.

Atherosclerotic vascular disease in the autoimmune rheumatologic patient

Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, have a strong association with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD), particularly ischemic heart disease (IHD). A majority of the autoimmune conditions occur predominantly in women, and as women continue to experience a higher cardiovascular mortality compared to men, this potential added risk factor must be recognized. Inflammation and immune mechanisms have been shown to be an underlying mechanism for the development of atherosclerosis, thus sharing a common mechanism with rheumatologic conditions. There is an under recognition, in both patient and physician, of the increased cardiovascular (CV) risk within the autoimmune population, with present CV risk profile algorithms performing poorly in these patients. Traditional risk factors play a role in the development of IHD in the autoimmune patient, but their overall significance is unclear and does not fully explain the elevated CV risk. The role of inflammation and risk factors in autoimmune conditions, and their link to the elevated CV risk will be explored within this article.

Increased 30-day and 1-year mortality rates and lower coronary revascularisation rates following acute myocardial infarction in patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease

Introduction

It is now well-recognised that patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease (AIRD) have a predisposition to cardiovascular disease that results in increased morbidity and mortality. Following myocardial infarction (MI), patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been shown to have an increased case fatality rate; however, this has not been demonstrated in other forms of AIRD. The aim of this study was to compare case fatality rates following a first MI in patients with AIRD versus the general population. The secondary aim was to compare revascularisation treatment following MI in patients with AIRD versus the general population.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study using two population-based linked databases was undertaken. Cases of first MI from July 2001 to June 2007 were identified based on International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification, codes. Thirty-day and one-year mortality rates were calculated (all-cause and cardiovascular causes of death). Logistic regression models were fitted to calculate the odds of mortality by AIRD status with adjustment for relevant characteristics.

Results

There were 79,390 individuals with a first MI, of whom 1,409 (1.8%) had AIRD. After adjusting for relevant covariates, the odds ratio (OR) for 30-day cardiovascular mortality in patients with AIRD was 1.44 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.25 to 1.66), and the OR for 12-month cardiovascular mortality was 1.71 (95% CI: 1.51 to 1.94). The 90-day adjusted odds of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft were significantly lower in the AIRD group compared with controls (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70 to 0.94, and OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.39 to 0.69, respectively).

Conclusions

We identified a higher risk-adjusted mortality rate for the majority of patients with AIRD at 30 days and 12 months after first MI. We also identified lower post-MI revascularisation rates in the AIRD group, suggesting there may be current gaps in cardiovascular treatment for patients with AIRD.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0552-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic inflammation: mechanisms underlying premature cardiovascular events in rheumatologic conditions

A variety of systemic inflammatory rheumatic diseases associate with an increased risk of atherosclerotic events and premature cardiovascular (CV) disease. Although this recognition has stimulated intense basic science and clinical research, the precise nature of the relationship between local and systemic inflammation, their interactions with traditional CV risk factors, and their role in accelerating atherogenesis remains unresolved. The individual rheumatic diseases have both shared and unique attributes that might impact CV events. Understanding of the positive and negative influences of individual anti-inflammatory therapies remains rudimentary. Clinicians need to adopt an evidence-based approach to develop diagnostic techniques to identify those rheumatologic patients most at risk of CV disease and to develop effective treatment protocols. Development of optimal preventative and disease-modifying approaches for atherosclerosis in these patients will require close collaboration between basic scientists, CV specialists, and rheumatologists. This interface presents a complex, important, and exciting challenge.

Pathogenesis and treatment of atherosclerosis in lupus

The prevalence of atherosclerosis (ATH) is higher in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and occurs at an earlier age. The lupus-related factors that account for this increased risk are likely numerous and related to the factors described in this article. Identifying of at-risk subjects and increasing the understanding of pathogenesis of ATH in SLE is critical for improving the quality of care and improving mortality in this vulnerable population.

Premature coronary heart disease in systemic lupus erythematosus: what risk factors do we understand?

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This 'accelerated atherosclerosis' is due to a combination of traditional risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and also disease-related factors such as chronic inflammation. Recent work has provided valuable insights into the relative contribution of various risk factors and also identified novel risk factors. An understanding of risk factors is fundamental to the prevention of CHD in SLE. In this review, we will discuss the role of risk factors for CHD in SLE and offer some strategies for their assessment and management.

Atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus

Accelerated atherosclerosis and its long-term sequelae are a major cause of late mortality among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Traditional Framingham risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and smoking do not account in entirety for this risk. SLE specific factors like disease activity and duration, use of corticosteroids, presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, and others are important risk factors. SLE is considered a coronary heart disease; equivalent and aggressive management of all traditional risk factors is recommended. Despite their role in primary and secondary prevention in the general population, statins seem to have no effect on cardiovascular outcomes in adult or pediatric SLE populations. The use of hydroxychloroquine has a cardioprotective effect, and mycophenolate mofetil may reduce cardiovascular events based on basic science data and data from the transplant population. The role of vitamin D supplementation and treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia remain controversial, but due to the safety of therapy and the potential benefit, they remain as optional therapies.

Presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in emergency department: a case report

Background

Abrupt and life-threatening presentations in connective tissue diseases (CTD) are rarely reported. Their early recognition and specific management could change course disease. SLE is a multisystem inflammatory disease that is often difficult to diagnose in the emergency department (ED).

Case presentation

A 26-year-old woman presented to the ED with a 48 hour history of progressive dispnea, generalized edema and left lower chest pain with non-productive cough. On examination, patient was feeling very ill, afebrile, tachycardic, tachypneic and a peripheral oxygen saturation of 94% on 40% supplemented oxygen with raised jugular venous pressure was noted. Intermittently, she presented an obtunded state of consciousness. A large pericardial, pleural and abdominal effusion was confirmed and a broad differential diagnosis was made. The patient had a 6 months history of inflammatory polyarthralgias involving initially interphalangeal joints, evolving, sometime later, the knees and elbows bilaterally and she was started glucocorticoids. 12 days before admission, she had had symptoms of a urethritis episode. In the context of an immunosupressed patient, with initial focal urologic complains, evidence of multiorgan dysfunction and a picture resembling a distributive shock, dictated a low threshold for sepsis.

Conclusions

Separating an acute episode of SLE from sepsis, on emergency grounds, can even be the most challenging decision. In the ED, acute life-threatening and multisystemic conditions should arise the suspicion of autoimmune diseases, particularly SLE.

Prognosis after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with psoriasis: a cohort study using Danish nationwide registries

Background

Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease. However, the potential impact of psoriasis on the prognosis following percutaneous coronary revascularization (PCI) is unknown.

Methods

The study comprised the entire Danish population undergoing first-time PCI in the period 2002–09. Cox regression models, controlling for age, gender, socioeconomic status, pharmacological treatment, and comorbidity were used to assess the risk of 1) all-cause mortality and 2) a composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

Results

A total of 53,141 patients with first-time PCI in the study period were identified. Of these, 1074 had mild psoriasis and 315 had severe psoriasis. Patients with severe psoriasis, but not those with mild disease had increased risk of both endpoints compared to patients without psoriasis. The incidence rates for all-cause mortality were 30.5 (CI 29.7-31.3), 29.9 (CI 24.7-36.1), and 47.2 (CI 35.0-63.6) per 1000 patient years for patients without psoriasis, with mild psoriasis, and with severe psoriasis, respectively. Hazard ratios were 1.10 (CI 0.91-1.33) and 1.67 (CI 1.24-2.26) for mild and severe psoriasis, respectively. Patients with severe psoriasis were less likely to receive secondary prevention pharmacotherapy with betablockers, statins and platelet inhibitors.

Conclusion

This first study of the prognosis following PCI in patients with psoriasis demonstrated an increased risk of all-cause mortality and of a composite of death, myocardial infarction and stroke, respectively, in patients with severe psoriasis compared to patients without psoriasis. Further studies of this novel association are needed.

Epidemiology of CVD in rheumatic disease, with a focus on RA and SLE

The excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with inflammatory rheumatic diseases has long been recognized. Patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have higher mortality compared with the general population. Over 50% of premature deaths in RA are attributable to CVD. Excess mortality in SLE follows a bimodal pattern, with the early peak predominantly a consequence of active lupus or its complications, and the later peak largely attributable to atherosclerosis. Patients with RA or SLE are also at increased risk of nonfatal ischemic heart disease. The management and outcome of myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure in patients with RA or SLE differs from that in the general population. Traditional CVD risk factors (TRF) include increasing age, male gender, smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. Whereas some TRFs are elevated in patients with RA or SLE, several are not, and others exhibit paradoxical relationships. Risk scores developed for the general population based on TRFs are likely, therefore, to underestimate CVD risk in RA and SLE. Until additional research and disease-specific risk prediction tools are available, current evidence supports aggressive treatment of disease activity, and careful screening for and management of TRFs.

Relationship between cardiac symptoms, myocardial perfusion defects and coronary angiography findings in systemic lupus erythematosus

Coronary angiography is generally regarded as the ‘gold standard’ test for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD). We sought to determine the relationship between cardiac symptoms and findings of coronary angiography and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Medical records of all SLE patients who underwent coronary angiography while attending our clinic over 24 years were reviewed, noting the indication for the test and its findings. Among patients who had MPS within 6 months prior to coronary angiography, a contingency table was used to rate the agreement between the two tests. Among the 35 patients who underwent coronary angiography, 31 had the test to investigate cardiac symptoms. Among the symptomatic patients, 17 (55%) had an abnormal angiogram with one or more plaques, while 14 (45%) had normal angiograms. All four asymptomatic patients had normal angiograms. Compared to those with normal angiograms, patients with abnormal angiograms had a higher mean number of cardiovascular risk factors per patient (1.6 ± 1.4 vs. 0.6 ± 1.0, p = 0.02). Twenty-four patients had both angiography and MPS. Overall, the agreement between angiography and MPS was poor ( κ = 0, p = 0.0008), with 14 (58.3%) patients having perfusion defects and normal angiograms. A proportion of SLE patients with cardiac symptoms do not have plaques on coronary angiography. Overall there is poor agreement between the findings of coronary angiography and MPS in SLE, suggesting mechanisms of ischemia other than plaques.

Racial disparities in age at time of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular-related death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether racial disparities exist with regard to the age at which patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experience cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD-associated death.

METHODS

Using the 2003-2006 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we calculated the age difference between patients with SLE and their race- and sex-matched controls at the time of hospitalization for a cardiovascular event and for CVD-associated death. In addition, we calculated the age difference between white patients with SLE and sex-matched controls for each minority group for the same outcomes.

RESULTS

The mean age difference between women with and those without SLE at the time of admission for a CVD event was 10.5 years. All age differences between women with SLE (n = 3,627) and women without SLE admitted for CVD were significant (P < 0.0001). Among different racial groups with SLE, black women were the youngest to be admitted with CVD (53.9 years) and to have a CVD-associated in-hospital death (52.8 years; n = 218). Black women with SLE were 19.8 years younger than race- and sex-matched controls at the time of CVD-associated death. Admission trends for CVD were reversed for black women, such that the highest proportions of these patients were admitted before age 55 years, and then the proportions steadily decreased across age categories. Among the 805 men with SLE who were admitted with a CVD event, those who were black or Hispanic were youngest.

CONCLUSION

There are significant racial disparities with regard to age at the time of hospital admission for CVD events and CVD-related hospitalization resulting in death in patients with SLE.

Management of cardiovascular complications in systemic lupus erythematosus

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients with SLE have an excess risk compared with the general population; this is particularly pronounced in younger women with SLE who have an excess risk of over 50-fold compared with population controls. There is a higher prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with SLE compared with controls, as demonstrated by a variety of imaging modalities discussed in this review. The causality of the excess risk of CVD and subclinical atherosclerosis is multifactorial in patients with SLE. While traditional risk factors play a role, after controlling for the traditional Framingham risk factors, the excess risk is still 7.5-fold greater than the general population. This review will also cover novel cardiovascular risk factors and some SLE-specific variables that contribute to CVD risk. This review discusses the risk factor modification and the evidence available for treatment of these risk factors in SLE. There have not yet been any published randomized, controlled trials in patients with SLE with respect to CVD risk factor modifications. Thus, the treatment and management recommendations are based largely on published guidelines for other populations at high risk for CVD.

Subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in young South-Asian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), especially Asian Indians, are at increased risk of developing premature atherosclerosis. To find out the prevalence and predictors of carotid intima-medial thickness (IMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). Endothelial dysfunction was assessed by FMD in brachial artery and IMT was measured in common carotid artery in SLE patients and healthy controls. Sixty SLE patients (mean age 31 +/- 9 years) and 38 healthy controls (mean age 34 +/- 6 years) were included. The IMT was higher in SLE patients as compared to controls (0.49 +/- 0.08 mm vs. 0.39 +/- 0.05 mm, p < 0.0001). SLE and damage were independent predictors of abnormal IMT. FMD was impaired in SLE patients compared to controls (9.97% vs. 18.97%, p < 0.00001). None of the classical cardiovascular risk factors were predictors of FMD or abnormal IMT. Indian patients with SLE have higher prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction. Presence of damage was associated with abnormal IMT in SLE patients.