Correlation between Serum Uric Acid and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Complications in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Sohag University Hospital

Abstract

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been associated with excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The underlying causes of this phenomenon are still relatively unknown, but it is believed that a combination of classic and new cardiovascular risk factors including chronic low-grade inflammation may be involved.
Objective: This study was designed to assess the relationship between serum uric acid level and the CVD complications in SLE patients.
Patients and methods: This clinical-based prospective study was carried out on 60 patients. This study was conducted in Sohag University Hospital. The patients in the study were divided into two equal groups: Group (A) included patients with normal S.UA in between (2.4-6.0 mg/dl) for females and (3.4-7.0) for males and group (B) that included patients with elevated S.UA higher than the upper limit.
Results: Serum uric acid was significantly increased in patients with pulmonary hypertension than those who didn’t develop pulmonary hypertension (P = 0.02). serum uric acid level was insignificantly different as regards ECG and ECH findings except for segmental wall motion abnormality (SWMA) and pulmonary hypertension. There was a positive mild significant correlation between serum uric acid and cholesterol level (r = 0.35 and P = 0.01) and duration of treatment (r = 0.29 and P = 0.03), but insignificant with triglyceride level (r = 0.22 and P = 0.08) and EULAR\ACR2019 score (r = 0.01 and P = 093).
Conclusion: Higher serum uric acid levels are associated with global damage in patients with SLE. Serum uric acid was associated with arterial stiffness. Nevertheless, serum uric acid might be an ancillary indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE women with clinically evident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.