Wirestam L, Saleh M, Svensson C, et al. - Researchers sought to determine if osteopontin (OPN) may be employed as a surrogate biomarker of subclinical atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with different disease phenotypes. This analysis involved 60 well-characterised SLE cases as well as 60 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. SLE cases were split into three different disease phenotypes: SLE with antiphospholipid syndrome, lupus nephritis, and isolated skin and joint involvement. In line with previous studies, elevated OPN concentrations were detected in SLE patients vs matched controls. However, there was no correlation of OPN levels with intima media thickness of the common carotid arteries. In the light of observations in this study, OPN use cannot be advised as a surrogate biomarker of subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE patients, irrespective of clinical phenotypes.