Trends in Acute Coronary Syndromes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Are We Moving in the Right Direction?

Cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is driven by chronic inflammation, traditional risk factors, and SLE-specific immunological processes that likely begin before clinical diagnosis. Multiple study designs, including population-based registries, case-control studies, and systematic reviews and metaanalyses, consistently show a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of CVD in patients with SLE.^1-4