Risk factors addressed in the study included: 1) the hypercoagulable state secondary to antiphospholipid antibodies (the lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody); 2) premature atherosclerosis, accelerated by prednisone and hypertension; 3) underlying vascular damage from lupus vasculopathy and vasculitis; 4) co-morbid factors, including obesity, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, sedentary life style, and family history of coronary artery disease, and 5) other factors, including sex, age, race, immunogenetics, compliance with medication, and socioeconomic status. The Hopkins Cohort Study was uniquely able to focus on these issues, both because of its population, which reflected a broad racial, educational, and socioeconomic background, and because the four years of data accumulated showed promising preliminary results.