They added that, “causes of death were broadly based as to organ system. No autopsy results were given, so cardiovascular for the pediatric patients predominated.” However, the type of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrest was not included in the paper, “which really is a nebulous diagnosis,” they wrote. “This makes conclusions difficult.”
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“The authors’ conclusions [regarding] an increase in mortality from pediatric SLE with ESRD likely secondary to cardiovascular disease are valid,” Drs. Eberhard and von Scheven continued. “But the etiology for this—i.e., hypertension, atherosclerosis, etc.—cannot be determined by this study. Nor can any new treatments be deduced or recommended from these findings.”
In their study conclusions, the authors commented that, “pediatric and adult patients with ESRD secondary to SLE need careful monitoring and aggressive treatment for traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as hypertension and obesity. Additionally, they should also be evaluated for more nontraditional risk factors, which could result in an inflammatory state and contribute to cardiovascular disease.”
Sue Pondrom is a medical journalist based in San Diego.
Reference
1. Sule S, Fivush B, Neu A, Furth S. Increased risk of death in pediatric and adult patients with ESRD secondary to lupus. Pediatr Nephrol. 2011;26:93-98.