Cardiovascular disease a hazard despite improved prognosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: results from a Swedish population based study 1964-95.

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease was the major cause of death in patients with SLE and young patients had a pronounced increased risk of death. Even if all-cause mortality had declined during the last 2 decades due to causes attributed to SLE, the risk of cardiovascular death remained unchanged.