EARLY DETECTION OF ACCELERATED ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN WOMEN WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS
Rationale for Study:
Women with SLE are known to develop atherosclerotic heart disease (thickening of the arteries) earlier than the general population.  The risk of developing a heart attack is up to 5 times greater than the Canadian female population.  These patients also develop this complication at a much earlier age than the general population.   At this time it is not clear what causes this early heart disease;  however, it is thought that the disease processes of SLE itself may contribute.  In addition, standard treatments of SLE, namely corticosteroid drugs, could also increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Study Design:
The purpose of this study is to use a highly sensitive and specific heart imaging technique, in a large number of women SLE patients, in order to examine the actual frequency and degree of early atherosclerotic changes.  This new heart imaging technique called Dual-Isotope Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (DIMPI), may reveal changes in patients before they actually experience any symptoms of heart disease.  This study will also look at the effect of corticosteroid use on atherosclerotic changes by comparing the results of those patients who have taken steroid medication with those who have not.  This study will also look at all other clinical data collected on these patients to see what other factors of their disease may be associated with or can predict the development of heart disease.

This is an important study to all SLE patients that will lead to better detection of heart disease and treatment strategies to prevent the development of heart complications.   This study may also provide a better understanding of the causes of premature atherosclerosis in the general population.
 

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