Table 5.

Associations of the PREDICTS variables with the presence of any carotid plaque on baseline or longitudinal ultrasound in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus^*

Explanatory variable	Odds ratio	95% CI	P
History of dyslipidemia (yes, no)	3.2	1.06–9.8	0.04
Hypertension (yes, no)	0.8	0.3–2.0	NS
Current tobacco use (yes, no)	1.6	0.3–7.5	NS
Family history of cardiovascular disease (yes, no)	1.3	0.5–3.2	NS
Body mass index (in kg/m2)	1.01	0.95–1.07	NS
African American race (yes, no)	4.6	1.1–18.6	0.03
Lifetime prednisone use >20 gm (yes, no)	0.6	0.2–1.7	NS
Initiation of statin therapy (yes, no)	0.7	0.2–2.5	NS
Disease duration	1.03	0.98–1.09	NS
High PREDICTS score (yes, no)†	27.7	10.6–72.7	<0.001

^*Associations were determined by logistic regression. 95% CI = 95% confidence interval; NS = not significant.

^† Variables include age ≥48 years, proinflammatory high-density lipoprotein levels ≥0.94 fluorescence units, leptin levels ≥34 ng/ml, soluble TWEAK levels ≥373 pg/ml, and homocysteine levels ≥12 μmoles/liter. A high Predictors of Risk for Elevated Flares, Damage Progression, and Increased Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (PREDICTS) score was defined as the presence of ≥3 of the risk factors or history of diabetes plus ≥1 of the risk factors.