“…Although direct comparisons are hampered due to differences in the study design, assessment and documentation methods, and the definitions used, our findings concord with published data underpinning increased occurrence of metabolic and atherosclerotic factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease as compared to the general population [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ]. Cardiovascular burden is also increased in SLE, attributable to the interplay between demographic (e.g., gender, ethnicity), disease duration, traditional risk factors (including smoking), lupus autoimmunity such as type I interferon signaling, and the known deleterious effects of chronic glucocorticoids use [ 7 , 56 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ]. In line with this, circumstantial non-randomized evidence suggests that attainment of low disease activity state on a minimal background dose of glucocorticoids is associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular events in SLE [ 64 ].…”