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Objective Patients with SLE have increased prevalence of clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subclinical atherosclerosis. Although 30–40% of patients with SLE have vascular plaque on ultrasound scanning, this study is the first to consider the relationship between total burden of plaque and subsequent CVD risk. Methods One hundred patients with SLE and without any previous clinical CVD underwent vascular ultrasound scans of both carotid and both common femoral bifurcations between 2011 and 2013. Clinical, serological, demographic and treatment data were collected at baseline. Patients were followed till 2020 to identify those who developed new onset coronary disease or stroke. Statistical analysis to identify factors associated with increased risk of developing CVD events was carried out. Results Thirty-six patients had plaque at baseline. During follow-up five patients (all had baseline plaque) developed coronary disease and two, without baseline plaque, developed lacunar strokes. Mean (s.d.) age of these patients was 46.5 (4.5) years. Patients with three or more baseline bifurcations with plaque were 10 times more likely to develop CVD than those with 0–2 bifurcations with plaques (OR 9.9, P = 0.009). TPA > 16mm2 was associated with six-fold increased risk of CVD (OR = 6.44, P = 0.028). Patients with disease duration > 14 years were more likely than those with disease duration < 14 years to develop CVD (OR 8.3 P = 0.043) Conclusions The number of bifurcations with plaque and TPA in patients with SLE may be valuable in assessing risk of CVD and deciding on clinical measures to reduce this risk.

Objectives Patients with SLE have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Multiple studies have shown that these patients have increased numbers of carotid plaques and greater intima-media thickness (IMT) than healthy controls. Measures such as total plaque area (TPA) and plaque echogenicity may be more sensitive and more relevant to cardiovascular risk than presence of plaque and IMT alone. Our objective was to produce the first report of TPA and echogenicity in a population of patients with SLE. Methods One hundred patients with SLE and no history of clinical CVD were recruited. Clinical, serological and treatment variables were recorded and serum was tested for antibodies to apolipoprotein A-1 and high-density lipoprotein. Both carotid and both femoral artery bifurcations of each patient were scanned to determine IMT, TPA and echogenicity of plaques. Univariable and multivariable statistical analyses were carried out to define factors associated with each of these outcomes. Results Thirty-six patients had carotid and/or femoral plaque. Increasing age was associated with presence of plaque and increased IMT. Triglyceride levels were associated with presence of plaque. Mean (s.d.) TPA was 60.8 (41.6) mm2. Patients taking prednisolone had higher TPA. Most plaques were echolucent, but increased echogenicity was associated with prednisolone therapy and persistent disease activity. Conclusion TPA and plaque echogenicity in patients with SLE are associated with different factors than those associated with presence of plaque and IMT. Longitudinal studies may show whether these outcome measures add value in the management of cardiovascular risk in SLE.

Background Patients with SLE have 5-10-fold increased risk of developing CVD compared to age and sex-matched controls. The average age of developing a first CVD event in patients with SLE is only 49. In this study we aimed to describe the rate and determinants of carotid plaque progression in a cohort of SLE patients who were asymptomatic of CVD at baseline. Methods We carried out vascular ultrasound studies of 100 patients with SLE asymptomatic of CVD at baseline. Sixty-nine patients were rescanned over a median of 5 years of follow up. Ninety-four percent who were re-scanned were women and the mean overall age was 46 years (SD 11). Clinical and CVD risk was assessed at baseline and follow up. The same protocol for assessment at baseline using B-mode Doppler ultrasound to measure intimal media thickness and plaque was used at follow up to assess progression. We also assessed total plaque area (TPA), a more sensitive measure of plaque, and echolucency expressed as gray scale median (GSM) which is linked to plaque lipid content. Results Of the 100 patients with a baseline scan, 69 patients had a second scan at a median of 5 years follow up. New plaque developed in 9% and 26% had an increase in plaque number. The mean overall IMT (0.111 vs 0.064, p < 0.01) and common carotid IMT (0.065 vs 0.055, p < 0.01) were significantly raised in plaque vs non-plaque patients. In a multi -variable analysis CIMT at follow-up was independently associated with age (beta 0.415, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (beta 0.285, p < 0.021). Independent predictors of plaque at follow-up scan on multi-variable analysis were age at scan>52 years (OR 10.41, CI 2.66-40.80) and systolic BP > 133 (OR 5.26, CI 1.396 - 19.862). In contrast, total cholesterol was negatively correlated with TPA (beta = -1.167, p = 0.002) and with GSM (beta = -0.513, p = 0.012). Conclusion Amongst these 69 patients, 26% had increased plaque and none had decreased plaque over a median of five years follow-up. Measurement of novel ultrasound variables such as TPA and echolucency may identify more modifiable risk factors that can be used to improve CVD outcomes in patients with SLE. Disclosures J. Bakshi: None. M. Griffin: None. S. Croca: None. F. Farhina: None. D. Isenberg: None. A. Nicolaides: None. A. Rahman: None.

Background Cardiovascular disease is a significant burden on SLE patients, and no satisfactory markers exist to predict atherosclerotic development in patients. This study utilised an orthogonal approach to develop a marker of cardiovascular progression with predictive value in SLE patients. Methods The earliest available sample from a cohort of 92 SLE patients was tested for anti-Domain I (aDI), anti Beta-2-Glycoprotein-I, and anti-Cardiolipin antibodies. Persistent positivity was not assessed. These patients then had vascular ultrasound scans (carotid and femoral arteries) (mean 10 years later) to assess subclinical atherosclerotic plaque. A range of demographic, clinical and serological markers were recorded at the time of the scan. Predictors of plaque presence were investigated using binary logistic regression. Results A total of 34 patients from the cohort of 92 had atherosclerotic plaque (37%). A total of 32 patients had aDI positivity, of which 20 (62.5%) also had Plaque, this is reflected by the significantly higher levels of aDI antibodies seen in Plaque patients (p < 0.01). Anti-DI positivity was predictive of the development of plaque in the future (Odds Ratio (OR) 5.476, p < 0.001). No association was seen for any other antibody tested. Multiple binary logistic regression showed aDI positivity had as much predictive value as triglyceride levels on the day of the scan (OR 3.5 vs 3.9, Table 1) for predicting plaque in patients. Age at scan was a third independent variable associated with atherogenic plaque. Conclusion Early aDI positivity may be a good marker of atherogenesis in SLE patients in the long term. Disclosures T.C.R. McDonnell: Other; I am an inventor on the patent for Domain I. F. Farinha: None. C. Pericleous: Other; This Author is an Inventor on the Patent for Domain I. M. Griffin: None. A. Nicolaides: None. S. Croca: None. I. Giles: Other; This Author is an Inventor on the Domain I Patent. A. Rahman: Other; This Author is an Inventor on the Domain I Patent..