@article{3115765,
    title = "Raynaud's phenomenon is correlated with elevated systolic pulmonary
arterial pressure in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus",
    author = "Kasparian, A. and Floros, A. and Gialafos, E. and Kanakis, M. and and Tassiopoulos, S. and Kafasi, N. and Vaipoulos, G.",
    journal = "Lupus Science and Medicine",
    year = "2007",
    volume = "16",
    number = "7",
    pages = "505-508",
    publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",
    doi = "10.1177/0961203307080629",
    keywords = "Raynaud phenomenon; systemic lupus erythematosus; systolic pulmonary
arterial pressure",
    abstract = "In patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Raynaud phenomenon
(RP) is frequently present and associated with pulmonary hypertension
(PHT). Elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) is an
indicator of PHT and can be estimated noninvasively. We attempt to
explore the significance of RP in SLE and to correlate it with clinical
and serological parameters of the disease. The study population
consisted of 34 patients (age, sex and disease duration matched) who
fulfilled the revised SLE criteria of the American College of
Rheumatology, and were categorized into two groups: Group I had patients
having SLE and RP (2 males/15 females, mean age 45 18 years) and group 2
had patients with SLE but without RP (3 males/14 females, mean age 40 14
years. Detailed cardiac ultrasound was performed including measurement
of PASP, while clinical and serological features of both groups were
collected and correlated. Significant differences were shown in the
presence of arterial hypertension (P < 0.05), arthralgias (P < 0.005),
arthritis (P < 0.05), myalgias (P < 0.05), alopecia (P < 0.05) and PASP
(P < 0.0001). No difference was observed among the cardiac ultrasound
indices and the ejection fraction between the two groups. PASP was
significantly correlated with RP, while no correlation was observed
regarding the disease duration. In patients with SLE, the presence of RP
was associated with elevation in PASP. Further investigation is needed
to clarify the significance of this relation."
}