High-density lipopoprotein antioxidant capacity, subpopulation distribution and paraoxonase-1 activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: The causes of increased cardiovascular risk in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are not understood thoroughly, although presence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and disease-specific agents were also proposed. In this study, we investigated the quantitative changes in the lipid profile, as well as qualitative characteristics of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and markers of inflammation and disease activity in SLE patients.

Methods: Lipoprotein levels were determined in 51 SLE patients and 49 healthy controls, matched in age and gender.