Association analysis of PON2 genetic variants with serum paraoxonase activity and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Low serum paraoxonase (PON) activity is associated with the risk of coronary artery disease, diabetes and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Our prior studies have shown that the PON1/rs662 (p.Gln192Arg), PON1/rs854560 (p.

25-hydroxyvitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D; vitamin D) are associated with a higher frequency of cardiovascular disease and risk factors in the general population. Vitamin D deficiency has also been noted in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations of serum 25(OH)D levels with cardiovascular risk factors in women with SLE.

Differences in subclinical cardiovascular disease between African American and Caucasian women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Racial differences exist in disease rates and mortality in both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The objective of this cross-sectional study was to compare the frequency and risk factors for subclinical CVD in African American (AA) and Caucasian women with SLE and no prior CVD events. Traditional CVD risk factors and SLE-related factors were assessed in 309 SLE women.

Apolipoprotein H promoter polymorphisms in relation to lupus and lupus-related phenotypes.

Objective: Sequence variation in gene promoters is often associated with disease risk. We tested the hypothesis that common promoter variation in the APOH gene (encoding for ss(2)-glycoprotein I) is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) risk and SLE-related clinical phenotypes in a Caucasian cohort.

Methods: We used a case-control design and genotyped 345 women with SLE and 454 healthy control women for 8 APOH promoter single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP; -1284C>G, -1219G>A, -1190G>C, -759A>G, -700C>A, -643T>C, -38G>A, and -32C>A).

Homocysteine, bone mineral density, and fracture risk over 2 years of followup in women with and without systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To examine the relationship of baseline homocysteine levels with bone mineral density (BMD) and incidence of fractures over 2 years in women with and without systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Women with SLE (n = 100) and without SLE (n = 100) were matched according to age (+/- 5 yrs), race, and menopausal status. Data were collected from 1997 to 2004, including hip, lumbar spine (L-spine), and distal forearm BMD, serum homocysteine levels, and a self-administered questionnaire on osteoporosis risk factors, medications and symptomatic fractures at baseline and 2-year followup.

Association study of Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) and Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) polymorphisms in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Toll-like receptors (TLR) play an important role in both adaptive and innate immunity. Variations in TLR genes have been shown to be associated with various infectious and inflammatory diseases. We investigated the association of TLR5 (Arg392Stop, rs5744168) and TLR9 (-1237T-->C, rs5743836) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Caucasian American subjects.

Premature atherosclerotic disease in systemic lupus erythematosus--role of inflammatory mechanisms.

Mounting evidence from a growing body of epidemiologic studies demonstrates that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at increased risk for the development of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, awareness of accelerated atherosclerosis in young SLE patients, albeit growing, is still limited, as documented by the brief case presented. Inflammation is thought to play an important role in both the pathogenesis of SLE, as well as atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Scleroderma renal crisis: new insights and developments.

Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) was once a uniformly fatal complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). With the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors as treatment, outcomes have improved significantly, though 39% to 50% of SSc patients who develop SRC continue to have poor outcomes, including permanent dialysis and death. Early recognition and treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are important in the effective management of SRC, though given the continuing morbidity and mortality caused by SRC, they are clearly not sufficient.

Sjogren's syndrome in association with Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease has many autoimmune extraintestinal manifestations, such as arthritis, polymyositis, and erythema nodosum. However, an association between Crohn's disease and Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease, has rarely been reported. We describe the fourth case of Sjogren's syndrome in association with Crohn's disease.