Table 4.
Carotid intima–media thickness over 7 years in association with disease factors at inclusion and follow-up in patients with SLE
| Effect of risk factors at inclusion | Effect of risk factors at follow-up | |||
| Beta coefficient (95% CI) | P value | Beta coefficient (95% CI) | P value | |
| Disease duration | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0013 (−0.0007 to 0.0032) | 0.2 | 0.0011 (−0.0011 to 00032) | 0.3 |
| History of lupus nephritis | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0413 (0.0053 to 0.0744) | 0.025 | 0.0506 (0.0109 to 0.0902) | 0.013 |
| Model 2 | 0.0482 (0.0128 to 0.0837) | 0.008* | 0.0573 (0.0190 to 0.0955) | 0.004* |
| Flare during follow-up | ||||
| Model 1 | - | 0.0046 (−0.0376 to 0.0469) | 0.8 | |
| SLEDAI | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0017 (−0.0032 to 0.0065) | 0.5 | 0.0059 (−0.0013 to 0.0131) | 0.1 |
| SLICC | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0042 (−0.0059 to 0.0142) | 0.4 | 0.0071 (−0.0028 to 0.0170) | 0.2 |
| History of APS | ||||
| Model 1 | NA | 0.0261 (−0.0205 to 0.0726) | 0.3 | |
| aPL antibodies | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0050 (−0.0303 to 0.0402) | 0.8 | NA | |
| Prednisolone average dose | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0590 (0.0193 to 0.0987) | 0.004 | 0.0160 (−0.1403 to 0.1723) | 0.8 |
| Model 2 | 0.0575 (0.0202 to 0.0948) | 0.003* | NS | |
| HCQ use | ||||
| Model 1 | −0.0186 (−0.0680 to 0.0308) | 0.5 | −0.0310 (−0493 to 0.1113) | 0.4 |
| DMARDs use | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0022 (−0.0334 to 0.0380) | 0.9 | 0.0009 (−0.0385 to 0.0403) | 0.9 |
| Cyclophosphamide and/or rituximab ever use | ||||
| Model 1 | 0.0056 (−0.0385 to 0.0498) | 0.8 | 0.0018 (−0.0400 to 0.0436) | 0.9 |
Model 1 was adjusted for age and sex.
Model 2 included, in addition to age and sex, variables with p value <0.10 in model 1 and CV risk factors as ever smoking, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, HDL, BMI, family history of CV disease and interaction terms of tested independent variables by assessment visit.
Model 2 was run only for the variables with p value <0.1 in model 1 and included, in addition to age and sex, traditional CV risk factors as ever smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, BMI, family history of CV disease and interaction terms of tested independent variables by assessment visit.
NS if p value >0.10 in model 2.
DMARDs use: azathioprine, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, ciclosporin.
*P value <0.05 withal by additional adjustment for history of atherosclerotic CV event.
aPL, anti-phospholipid antibodies; APS, anti-phospholipid syndrome; BMI, body mass index; CV, cardiovascular; DMARDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; NA, not available; NS, not significant; SLEDAI, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (without laboratory tests); SLICC, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (damage index).