Aim
This study aimed to detect atherosclerotic changes in the carotid arteries of
systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients as an indicator of cardiovascular
risk factors and to correlate the findings with disease severity and activity
parameters as well as to study specific ECG changes in these patients to
elucidate possible associations between these variables.
Patients and methods
This study included 30 SLE patients who met the Systemic Lupus International
Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria (group I), 30 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients
diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology/European league
against rheumatism (EULAR) 2010 criteria (group II), and 30 apparently healthy
volunteers age and sex matched to the SLE patients’ group (group III). All patients
were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, assessment of
disease activity using the Systemic Lupus Erythematous Disease Activity Index
(2 K) score and assessment of damage by the SLICC/American College of
Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI). Laboratory investigations included:
complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, lipid profile,
immunological profile (antinuclear antibodies, anti-double-stranded DNA
antibody, anticardiolipin antibody, and complements C3 and C4). The right
common carotid artery was scanned by ultrasound and the average of carotid
intima media thickness (CIMT) was calculated (mean of four readings) for all
participants participating in the study. ECG was also done for all participants.
Results
The mean CIMT was higher in RA patients (0.71±0.194 mm) with a nonsignificant
difference compared with SLE patients (0.68±0.197 mm) and a high statistically
significant difference (P0.05). Abnormal ECG
findings were observed in 3/30 SLE patients (10%), 10/30 RA patients (33.3%),
and one/30 healthy control (3.3%), with statistically significant difference (P |
