Vascular manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most diverse of the systemic autoimmune diseases because it may affect any organ of the body and display a broad spectrum of clinical and immunological manifestations. 1,2 A pathologic hallmark of SLE is the appearance of diverse vascular lesions. Although the etiology of the processes which initiate SLE remains uncertain, there is a growing understanding of the cellular and molecular events that are responsible for vascular injury. In this chapter we will review the main SLE clinical manifestations due to vascular involvement, as well as the most accepted pathogenic mechanisms of vascular disease in this condition.