EVALUATION OF THICKNESS OF INTIMA-MEDIA COMPLEX OF COMMON CAROTID ARTERIES IN CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE ARTHRITIS AND SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

<p><em>Rheumatic diseases in adults are associated with accelerated atherosclerosis, and its early signs can be stated by the thickening of intima-media complex of common carotid arteries (CCA). This symptom is detected during ultrasound examination in 49% of children with systemic lupus erythematosus, in 24% of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and in 13% of children with juvenile spondylarthritis. Besides, 36% of children with systemic lupus erythematosus and 17% — with systemic type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis had structure changes of CCA wall. A dependence of these disorders on cholesterol and glucose levels in blood serum, overweight and Cushing syndrome, age, duration and activity of a disease, levels of ESR, C-reactive protein and white blood cells was not showed. Authors detected a correlation between the thickness of intima-media complex of CCA and hemostasis parameters.</em><strong><em></em></strong></p><p><strong><em>Key words: children, juvenile arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, intima-media complex, ultrasound diagnostics.</em></strong><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>(<em><em>Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — </em></em>Current Pediatrics. 2010;9(2):<em><span>64-69</span></em>)</em></span>