Cardiovascular Disease in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus was officially recognized as a unique risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2011. Modern therapies extend the lifespan of lupus patients, but their risk for CVD is far greater than typical cardiovascular risk factors can explain. Imaging technologies have shown that subclinical manifestations of the disease in lupus patients begin long before symptoms are reported. This chapter considers the recent advances in research and therapeutic paradigms for atherosclerotic CVD in lupus patients and summarizes the same for other cardiac manifestations. Randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials for CVD intervention in lupus patients are lacking, but statins, antimalarials, immunoregulatory agents, antioxidants, and oral hypoglycemic agents have been explored. Here, relevant drug trials are reviewed and the research into disease biomarkers is discussed.