Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| All patients | SLEa | SSca | Other CTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 40 | n = 13 | n = 17 | n = 10 | |
| Age (yrs) | 54 ± 17 | 45 ± 16 | 55 ± 16 | 62 ± 16 |
| Gender (male) | 5 (13 %) | 3 (23 %) | 1 (6 %) | 1 (10 %) |
| Diagnosis | ||||
| Systemic lupus erythematosus | 13 (33 %) | 13 (100 %) | - | - |
| Systemic sclerosis | 17 (38 %) | - | 17 (100 %) | - |
| Overlap syndrome | 6 (15 %) | - | - | 6 (60 %) |
| Sjögren’s syndrome | 3 (7 %) | - | - | 3 (30 %) |
| Polymyositis | 1 (2 %) | - | - | 1 (10 %) |
| Cardiovascular risk factors | ||||
| Diabetes | 1 (2 %) | - | - | 1 (10 %) |
| Hypertension | 13 (33 %) | 4 (33 %) | 4 (23 %) | 5 (50 %) |
| Smokingb | 14 (35 %) | 6 (46 %) | 7 (41 %) | 1 (10 %) |
| Hyperlipidemia | 7 (18 %) | 1 (8 %) | 2 (12 %) | 4 (40 %) |
| Family history of CVD | 14 (35 %) | 6 (46 %) | 4 (23 %) | 4 (40 %) |
| Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) | 4 (10 %) | 2 (15 %) | 2 (12 %) | - |
| Symptoms (multiple possible) | ||||
| Angina | 9 (23 %) | 3 (23 %) | 2 (12 %) | 4 (40 %) |
| Dyspnea | 13 (33 %) | 3 (23 %) | 6 (35 %) | 4 (40 %) |
| Palpitations | 3 (7 %) | 1 (8 %) | - | 2 (20 %) |
| Syncope | 1 (2 %) | - | - | 1 (10 %) |
| ECG abnormality | 8 (20 %) | 1 (8 %) | 3 (18 %) | 4 (40 %) |
| Years since diagnosis | ||||
| < 1 | 8 (20 %) | 5 (38.5 %) | 1 (6 %) | 2 (20 %) |
| 1–4 | 12 (30 %) | 2 (15 %) | 9 (53 %) | 1 (10 %) |
| 5–9 | 6 (15 %) | 1 (8 %) | 3 (18 %) | 2 (20 %) |
| ≥ 10 | 14 (35 %) | 5 (38.5 %) | 4 (23 %) | 5 (50 %) |
| Disease activity | ||||
| SLEDAI | - | 16 (6–23) | - | - |
| ESSG | - | - | 3.5 (1.4–5.5) | - |
| Hematocrit | 0.38 (0.34–0.40) | 0.38 (0.34–0.40) | 0.38 (0.34–0.42) | 0.38 (0.37–0.39) |
| Medication | ||||
| Beta-blockers | 6 (15 %) | 4 (31 %) | - | 2 (20 %) |
| ARB | 19 (48 %) | 5 (39 %) | 9 (53 %) | 5 (50 %) |
| ASA | 6 (15 %) | 1 (8 %) | 2 (12 %) | 3 (30 %) |
| CCB | 6 (15 %) | 1 (8 %) | 4 (23 %) | 1 (10 %) |
| Statins | 7 (18 %) | 3 (23 %) | 2 (12 %) | 2 (20 %) |
| Diuretics | 6 (15 %) | 3 (23 %) | 2 (12 %) | 1 (10 %) |
| Steroids | 24 (60 %) | 10 (77 %) | 8 (47 %) | 6 (60 %) |
| NSAID | 1 (2 %) | 1 (8 %) | - | - |
| Chloroquines | 4 (10 %) | 2 (15 %) | 1 (6 %) | 1 (10 %) |
| Antibodies | 1 (2 %) | 1 (8 %) | - | - |
| Cyclophosphamide | 9 (23 %) | 5 (39 %) | 3 (18 %) | 1 (10 %) |
| Azathioprine | 3 (8 %) | 2 (15 %) | - | 1 (10 %) |
| Methotrexate | 1 (2 %) | - | - | 1 (10 %) |
All values are n (%) or mean ± SD or interquartile ranges
SLE systemic lupus erythematosus, SSc systemic sclerosis, CTD connective tissue disease, CVD cardiovascular disease, BMI body mass index, ECG electrocardiogram, SLEDAI systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index, ACR American College of Rheumatology, ESSG European scleroderma study group, ARB angiotensin receptor blockers, ASA acetylsalicylic acid, CCB calcium channel blockers, NSAID nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
apercentages based on number of SLE patients/SSc patients, respectively
bCurrent or ever-smokers