Research Article

The Role of Conjunctival Microvasculation Combined with Echocardiography in Evaluating Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Table 1

Comparisons of the characteristics between SLE-PAH patients and SLE patients without PAH.

CharacteristicsSLE-PAH ()SLE without PAH () value

Female sex, (%)15 (88%)31 (91%)0.625
Age, 0.751
Pleural effusion, (%)2 (6.7%)7 (4.7%)0.646
Raynaud’s phenomenon, (%)17 (56.7%)48 (32.0%)0.010
Oral ulcer, (%)4 (13.3%)26 (17.3%)0.592
Alopecia, (%)8 (26.7%)66 (44.0%)0.078
Rash, (%)9 (30.0%)50 (33.3%)0.723
Pericardial effusion, (%)6 (20.0%)2 (1.3%)≈0.00
Lupus nephritis, (%)5 (16.7%)30 (20.0%)0.674
Cytopenia, (%)3 (10.0%)6 (4.0%)0.169
Elevated ESR, (%)19 (63.3%)80 (53.3%)0.315
Low C3, (%)26 (86.7%)114 (76.0%)0.200
Low C4, (%)23 (76.7%)103 (68.7%)0.383
Anti-dsDNA antibody, (%)18 (60.0%)62 (41.3%)0.060
LA, (%)24 (80.0%)66 (44.0%)≈0.00
ACA, (%)17 (56.7%)13 (8.7%)≈0.00
Conjunctival microvasculation
Ischemic areas, (%)6 (35.3%)5 (14.7%)0.042
Reticulum deformity, (%)4 (23.5%)13 (38.2)0.233
Microangioma, (%)8 (47.1%)7 (41.2)0.101
Twisting, (%)16 (94.1%)27 (79.4)0.242
Dilation, (%)8 (47.1%)24 (70.6)0.131
Wound spot, (%)13 (76.5)17 (50)0.081
Hemorrhage, (%)5 (29.4%)6 (17.6)0.472

SD: standard deviation; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; LA: lupus anticoagulant; ACA: anticardiolipin antibodies. .