RESEARCH - Changes in lipid profile between flare and remission of patients with SLE

[Guest guest]

J Rheumatol. 2009 Jun 16.

Changes in Lipid Profile Between Flare and Remission of Patients with

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Prospective Study.

Urquizu-Padilla M, Balada E, Chacon P, Pérez EH, Vilardell-Tarrés M, Ordi-Ros J.

From the Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Research Laboratory, Vall

d'Hebron Research Institute, Vall d'Hebron Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the lipid profile of patients with systemic

lupus erythematosus (SLE) according to the disease activity, and to

calculate the percentage of patients that diverged from optimal

values.

METHODS: Serum was collected from 52 patients with SLE at flare and at

remission. SLE disease activity was measured by using the SLE Disease

Activity Index (SLEDAI). Clinical and biological measures were

evaluated in both situations. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density

lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

(LDLC), and triglyceride (TG) levels were analyzed after overnight

fasting. We also calculated the atherogenic ratios of TC/HDLC and

LDLC/HDLC.

RESULTS: SLE patients had significantly higher median TC/HDLC and

LDLC/HDLC ratios at flare than during remission: 4.5 +/- 1.5 versus

3.9 +/- 1.0 (p = 0.007) and 2.7 +/- 1.1 versus 2.4 +/- 0.8 (p =

0.015), respectively. The differences persisted after adjustments

based on kidney disease and treatment but not after adjusting by

creatinine clearance < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) in remission. The variation

between flare and remission of the percentage of SLE patients with

high-risk levels of lipid profile to desirable values, and vice versa,

was statistically significant for the LDLC/HDLC ratio (9 vs 1; p =

0.021).

CONCLUSION: Our results reflect a higher risk of atherosclerosis

phenomena in SLE patients during flare than during clinical remission.

This might explain the propensity to develop coronary heart disease in

patients with SLE.

PMID: 19531751

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19531751

Not an MD