Evaluation of haemodynamic flow to the hip in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE

One of the groups with high risk for osteonecrosis is patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No predictive test, however, is known to detect osteonecrosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate haemodynamic flow to the proximal femur in SLE patients.

METHODS

Twenty-two SLE patients without osteonecrosis were evaluated in comparison with 15 healthy controls. Medial and lateral circumflex arteries of 44 hips in the 22 SLE patients and 30 hips in the healthy controls were examined using ultrasound equipment with colour and power Doppler capability. Arterial pulsatility index (PI) and peak systolic velocity (PSV) were determined with neutral and internal rotation positions (stimulated ischaemia).

RESULTS

PSV was significantly increased in SLE patients compared to healthy controls in both the neutral position (70.6+/-40.4 vs. 46.9+/-19.3; p<0.001) and after internal rotation of the femoral head (74.8+/-42.3 vs. 49.9+/-19.9; p<0.001). PI was also higher in SLE patients than in healthy controls in both the neutral position (8.9+/-6.3 vs. 5.5+/-3.4; p<0.001) and after internal rotation (8.1+/-7.1 vs. 3.9+/-2.4; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

PSV and PI of arteries to the femur head in SLE patients were significantly higher than in healthy controls.