Intra-Vascular Ultrasound Findings of Diffuse Coronary Atherosclerotic Change in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus With Secondary Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are autoimmune inflammatory diseases associated with juvenile atherosclerosis and thrombosis, respectively. A 44-year-old woman who had SLE with secondary APS had been treated with corticosteroid therapy, however, her inflammatory marker had never been within a normal range in her clinical course, and finally acute myocardial infarction was developed. Intra-vascular ultrasound also revealed diffuse coronary atherosclerosis progression for her age, which might result from SLE and APS, including vascular inflammation. (Circ J 2006; 70: 1082 - 1085)