Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of cardiac alterations by trans thoracic echocardiography (TTE) and the possible role of aPLs in determining heart damage in SLE patients.
Patients and methods: We investigated 34 consecutive Caucasian SLE patients and 34 age and sex- matched controls. All patients underwent TTE. Lupus anticoagulant (LA) was assayed. IgG and IgM antiphospholipid antibodies against cardiolipin (aCL), phosphatidylinositol (aPI), phosphatidylserine (aPS), phosphatidic acid (aPA), and anti-Beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies (aBeta2GPI) were determined by ELISA.
Results: Nineteen (56%) SLE patients showed at least one cardiac abnormality (P < 0.0001 - RR 19; OR 41.8; 95% CI 5.1-342). The predominant valve dysfunctions were represented by mitral (21%) and tricuspidal (18%) regurgitation. Aortic regurgitation was observed in 12% of patients, pericardial effusion and left atrial enlargement were identified in 15% and 12% of cases, respectively. Mitral valvular strands were detected in one patient. The prevalence of cardiac abnormalities correlated with disease duration. Echocardiographic alterations were more common in aPLs positive than in aPLs negative patients (P = 0.02 - RR 2.5; OR 6.1; 95% CI 1.2-30.1). Patients with IgG-aPA, -aPI and -aPS had a higher prevalence of left atrial enlargement (P < 0.05); IgG-aPA and -aPI were significantly associated with increased interventricular septum thickness (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Our findings confirm that the heart is one of the main target in SLE patients. The association between aPLs and cardiac impairment suggests an adjunctive role of these autoantibodies in determining heart damage. SLE vasculopathy is a multifactorial process leading to accelerated atherosclerosis. Heart involvement over the course of disease requires a comprehensive screening and management of traditional and new cardiovascular risk factors to prevent cardiac damage, which represents the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in SLE patients.