Clinical Characteristics of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Matched Study

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Methods: This study used data from electronic medical records system from Fuwai Hospital. Subjects included SLE patients with CAD and gender-and, age-matched CAD patients without autoimmune connective tissue diseases in a ratio of 1:4. All CAD patients were confirmed by Coronary Angiography (CAG). Data from all subjects was abstracted for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk factors, laboratory test results, echocardiography and CAG. Results: The proportion of old myocardial infarction (OMI) (p=0.000), myocardial infarction (MI) (p=0.001), family history of premature CAD (p=0.023), hypercholesterolemia (p=0.005), menopause (p=0.015), renal disease manifestation (p=0.000), and higher CRP (p=0.000) in SLE patients with CAD (n=22) were significantly higher than in CAD patients (n=88). CAG showed more multi-vessel lesions (p=0.015) and vascular occlusion lesions (p=0.006) in SLE patients with CAD. Total cholesterol (TC), serum creatinine, urine protein and B-type natriuretic peptide precursor (pro-BNP) were significantly higher in SLE patients with CAD (p=0.000). SLE patients with CAD had higher mortality than CAD patients (p=0.029). Conclusions: These results indicate that SLE patients with CAD have more renal insufficiency, hypercholesterolemia, and family history of premature CAD than matched patients. In addition, SLE patients with CAD have more extensive and severe coronary artery lesions, and are easily combined with cardiac dysfunction.