Smoking status and age more indicative of thrombotic events in lupus than ethnicity

[Guest guest]

May 18, 2004

Smoking status and age more indicative of thrombotic events in lupus than

ethnicity

New York, NY - While ethnicity per se is not a risk factor for vascular

events in minority patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),

smoking, older age, antiphospholipid antibodies, and high levels of

C-reactive protein (CRP) do increase risk of vascular events in a

multiethnic cohort, according to new data presented here at the 7th

International Congress on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Related

Conditions [1].

" The clinical importance of our study is that SLE patients should receive

strong recommendations to quit smoking, " says study author Dr MA

Toloza (University of Alabama, Birmingham). " High-sensitivity CRP and

presence of any antiphospholipid antibodies are predictors and could be used

as markers of future vascular events. "

The new research assessed traditional and disease-related risk factors among

546 SLE patients from the Lupus in Minority Populations: Nature vs Nurture

(LUMINA) study. In a mean follow-up time of 73.8 months, 34 patients

experienced a vascular event. Specifically, 13 patients had a myocardial

infarction, 18 had strokes, and 5 had a peripheral vascular event. Of those

who had vascular events, 7 were Hispanic-Texan, 1 was Hispanic-Puerto Rican,

15 were African American, and 11 were white, the study found.

The number of traditional risk factors was higher in patients who went on to

develop vascular events than those who did not (7.1 vs 5.6, respectively).

Patients who were 45 or older, smoked, and had an elevated serum CRP and

presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, along with those followed for the

longest time, were among the most likely to have a vascular event during the

study period.

Interestingly, ethnicity did not play a role in increased likelihood of

vascular events, Toloza told the meeting.

Mann

Source

1. Toloza SMA, Uribe AG, McGwin G, et al. Presentation: Systemic lupus

erythematosus in multiethnic us cohort (lumina) baseline predictors of

vascular events. New York, NY: 7th International Congress on Systemic Lupus

Erythematosus and Related Conditions: Session on long-term outcome: heart

and vessels; May 9-13, 2004:Abstract 32A.