Abstract
Endothelium dysfunction plays one of the most important parts in progress of cardio-vascular pathology in SLE.
Objective: To determine the state of endothelium dependent and endotheliun independent regulation of vascular tone in patients with SLE-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SLE-PAH).
Methods: 80 patients with valid SLE diagnosis were examined with ultrasonographic scan of brachial artery to asses the endothelium dependent vasodilatation (EDVD) and endothelium independent vasodilatation (EIDVD) according to reactive hyperemia test and test with nitroglycerine. PAH was manifested on the Doppler-echocardiogram in 35 SLE patients. The average duration of SLE in these patients was 14±1.6 years. A control group consisted of 20 healthy persons.
Results: There was not significant difference between the initial diameters of brachial artery in SLE (3.35±0.06 mm) and SLE-PAH groups (3.43±0.09 mm) compared with control group (3.46±0.07 mm). The significant reduction of EDVD on 34% in SLE patients compared to healthy persons was determined in the test with reactive hyperemia. Abnormalities of endothelium dependent vascular tone regulation in patients with PAH were more expressed (reduced on 48% compared with healthy persons) (p<0.05). At the same time EIDVD in SLE group without PAH and in control group did not differ, but in SLE-PAH patients the EIDVD was 1.6 times less compared with control.
Conclusion: Abnormality of EDVD is dominated in SLE patients. The most evident disorder of EDVD occurs in SLE patients during the PAH progress. In patients with PAH also noted reduction of vasoregulation function of smooth-muscular cells, because they had impared EIDVD.
- © 2011 ERS