People with the autoimmune disease lupus may develop carotid atherosclerosis (the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries) at an accelerated rate and independently of many risk factors normally associated with cardiovascular disease, according to a new study supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health. The work was reported in the December 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
