A recent analysis of nearly two dozen studies has shed light on the additional cardiovascular risks that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) face, particularly those with lupus nephritis (LN).
Research encompassing over 8600 patients with SLE found that those with LN were more likely to have cardiovascular risk factors such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension. In fact, their risk of cardiovascular mortality was three times higher than that of SLE patients without LN.
These findings are significant as they suggest that controlling these risk factors could potentially reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in SLE patients. This is particularly important given that cardiovascular disease is now the leading cause of death among SLE patients, with an estimated 1.5 million Americans and over 5 million people worldwide living with some form of lupus.
The study, led by Dr. Desmond YH Yap, aimed to understand how LN influences cardiovascular risk factors and complications in SLE patients. Their systematic review and meta-analysis, which included studies published between 1947 and 2022, found that patients with SLE and LN had a significantly higher likelihood of developing hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes compared to those without LN.
Despite the significance of these findings, the study did have some limitations. For instance, there were a limited number of studies that provided cardiovascular data on both LN and non-LN patients. Additionally, the definitions of outcomes were often incomplete, and there was a lack of data on other major adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart failure.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of managing cardiovascular risk factors in patients with SLE, especially those with LN, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Login