Myhr KA, Zinglersen AH, Hermansen MLF, Jepsen MM, Iversen KK, Ngo AT, Pecini R, Jacobsen S. Left ventricular size and function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus associate with lupus anticoagulant: An echocardiographic follow-up study.
J Autoimmun 2022;
132:102884. [PMID:
36029716 DOI:
10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102884]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with increased risk of cardiac dysfunction. The pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood, and prognostic markers are warranted.
PURPOSE
We aimed to identify SLE-characteristics associated with measures of cardiac size and function during a five-year follow-up.
METHODS
We included 108 patients with SLE: 90% females, mean age 46 ± 13 years, median disease duration 14 (range 7-21) years. We performed blood sampling for potential biomarkers as well as a standard echocardiography at baseline and at a 5-year follow-up. To investigate associations with baseline and prospective 5-year changes in echocardiographic parameters, we performed multivariate regression analyses of SLE-related baseline variables (clinical disease activity, lupus nephritis, chronic kidney disease, anti-cardiolipin and/or anti-beta-2 glycoprotein I antibodies, and lupus anticoagulant (LAC)) and adjusted for traditional risk factors.
RESULTS
During follow-up, diastolic function regressed in two out of five echocardiographic measures (E/A ratio 1.4 ± 0.5 vs. 1.3 ± 0.5, p = 0.002; tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity 2.0 ± 0.6 vs. 2.2 ± 0.4 mmHg, p < 0.001). Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume index increased (43.7 ± 13.9 vs. 52.5 ± 15.7 mL/m2, p < 0.001). Left and right ventricular systolic function remained stationary. LAC was associated with inferior diastolic function: lower E/A ratio (p = 0.04) and higher E/e' ratio at baseline (p = 0.04) and increased left ventricular atrial volume index during follow-up (p = 0.01). LAC was further associated with LV dilatation during follow-up (p = 0.01).
CONCLUSION
Presence of LAC was associated with measures of diastolic function as well as progressive LV dilatation during the 5-year follow-up. Thus, LAC might be a predictor of cardiac dysfunction in SLE patients. LAC is known to have implications for the microvascular circulation, but the clinical significance of the present findings is yet to be elucidated.
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