Prevalence of coronary artery calcification in young patients with SLE of predominantly Hispanic and African–American descent

摘要

ObjectivesCardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in SLE. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores predict CVD events, independent of traditional risk factors. Patients with SLE aged >45 years have an increased prevalence of CAC in a predominantly white population. Little is known about CAC in younger patients with SLE. We evaluated CAC in younger patients with SLE of predominantly African–American and Hispanic ancestry, compared with healthy controls.