Introduction:
Juvenile onset systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) is an autoimmune disease associated with high cardiovascular morbidity. The purpose of the study was to assess cardiac function and subclinical atherosclerosis among children with SLE and to establish risk factors.

Material and methods:
Data on thirty children with SLE followed up at Alexandria Main Children Hospital were collected and compared to thirty matched controls. The collected data were about demographics, systemic examination and laboratory findings. However, all participants were subjected to echocardiography, pulsed wave tissue Doppler (PWTD) and sonographic assessment of intima media thickness of the abdominal aorta (aIMT) and carotid arteries (cIMT).

Results:
The patient group with mean age of 11.3 ±2 years and mean duration of disease 3.2 ±2.3 years included 63.3% (n = 19) hypertensive cases with no heart failure. High cholesterol values were reported in 30%. The main findings of the imaging studies of patients showed significantly low ejection fraction (EF) (57.9 ±5.8, p < 0.001) and low mitral annular velocities at septal and lateral walls at peak systole (Sm) and peak early diastolic filling (Em) (p < 0.001). Also there were significantly high aIMT (1.1 ±0.3) and cIMT (0.5 ±0.7) for patients. The duration of the disease and aIMT were significant risk factors that negatively affect Sm and Em of lateral wall (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions:
In JSLE, impaired LV function and subclinical atherosclerosis were prevalent specially among children with longer disease duration which highlight the need for periodic checkup by ultrasonography and PWTD.