Arterial stiffness and peripheral arterial disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to evaluate arterial stiffness and the ankle brachial index (ABI), two markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease, in SLE. We studied 55 patients with SLE (12.7% males, age 53.3 +/- 15.3 years) and 61 age- and gender-matched controls. Arterial stiffness was evaluated by measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx) and central systolic, diastolic, pulse and mean blood pressure (BP). Peripheral arterial disease was defined as ABI <= 0.90. Regarding markers of arterial stiffness, patients with SLE had lower PWV and AIx than controls (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). However, after adjusting for differences in cardiovascular risk factors between patients with SLE and controls, PWV and AIx did not differ between the two groups. Central systolic, diastolic, pulse and mean BP also did not differ between the two groups. In patients with SLE, PWV correlated independently with systolic BP (B = 0.05, p < 0.001) and waist/hip ratio (B = 6.72, p < 0.05). Regarding ABI, the lowest ABI was lower in patients with SLE than in controls (p < 0.005). However, after adjusting for differences in cardiovascular risk factors between patients with SLE and controls, the lowest ABI did not differ between the two groups. The prevalence of PAD also did not differ between patients with SLE and controls (10.0 and 5.4%, respectively; p = NS). Markers of arterial stiffness and the ABI do not appear to differ between patients with SLE and age- and gender-matched controls. However, given the small sample size, larger studies are needed to clarify whether SLE promotes arterial stiffness and PAD.