Cardiovascular risk factors, burden of disease and preventive strategies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with the general population. Traditional risk factors cannot account for the totality of CV events and adequate prevention may be challenging.

Areas covered: This review summarizes traditional and emerging risk factors of CVD in SLE patients and goes over potential pathogenic mechanisms involved in CVD development. Role of commonly used drugs and preventive strategies exploitable in everyday clinical practice are also discussed.

Expert opinion: SLE-related risk factors involve both disease- and treatment-related features, including disease activity, disease phenotype, corticosteroid misuse and alterations of innate and adaptive immunity. Primary prevention is mandatory in management of lupus patients through appropriate disease control, corticosteroid tapering, use of antimalarials and eventually vitamin D supplementation.

Keywords:

• accelerated atherosclerosis
• antimalarials
• cardiovascular disease
• preventive strategies
• systemic lupus erythematosus

Acknowledgment

F Benvenuti and M Gatto contributed equally to this work.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Notes

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