Complement deposition, C4d, on platelets is associated with vascular events in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Complement components, including C4d, can be found on activated platelets, a process associated with vascular disease in SLE. We investigated whether platelet C4d (PC4d) adds additional value to traditional and known lupus-associated risk factors when identifying SLE patients with vascular disease.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 308 well-characterized SLE patients and 308 matched general population controls.

Novel gene variants associated with cardiovascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at autoimmunity risk loci were associated with CVD in SLE and RA.

Methods: Patients with SLE (n=1045) were genotyped using the 200K Immunochip SNP array (Illumina).

Cardiovascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with increased levels of biomarkers reflecting receptor-activated apoptosis.

Background And Aims: There is convincing evidence that adaptive immune responses affect the development of atherosclerosis and thrombosis and several autoimmune diseases are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. However, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains limited. We investigated how biomarkers reflecting four aspects of autoimmunity: apoptosis, inflammation, tissue degradation and repair, associate with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in subjects with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Depressed serum IgM levels in SLE are restricted to defined subgroups.

Natural IgM autoantibodies have been proposed to convey protection from autoimmune pathogenesis. Herein, we investigated the IgM responses in 396 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, divided into subgroups based on distinct autoantibody profiles. Depressed IgM levels were more common in SLE than in matched population controls.

Excess atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus,-A matter of renal involvement: Case control study of 281 SLE patients and 281 individually matched population controls.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is a heterogeneous disease which predominantly affects young females (90%). SLE is associated with a shorter life expectancy than in the general population. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) of 2.