Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Prevention

Does DHEA Improve Endothelial Dysfunction and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Premenopausal Women With Systemic Lupus?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of DHEA on endothelial dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus by measuring:

1. changes in brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and
2. changes in biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. Patients will be enrolled in a randomized, double-blinded crossover trial of DHEA or placebo for ten weeks, then crossed over to the alternate treatment arm after a six-week washout period.

HYPOTHESIS: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration in premenopausal women with SLE modifies cardiovascular risk by improving vascular endothelial function and other biomarkers associated with cardiovascular heart disease.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female
• Member of the Michigan Lupus Cohort
• Meet the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for SLE
• Premenopausal

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smoker
• Diabetic
• Prednisone dose > 10 mg