Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
BACKGROUND
The goal of this pilot study was to investigate the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a group of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
Fifty adult patients enrolled in out-patient SLE studies at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (February 1995-October 1996) completed a self-report questionnaire adapted from the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and an in-person psychiatric clinical interview with a psychiatrist or psychiatric clinical nurse specialist. DSM-IV lifetime diagnosis of OCD was determined by clinical interview.


RESULTS
Sixteen subjects (32%) met DSM-IV lifetime diagnostic criteria for OCD and an additional 5 (10%) met criteria for subclinical OCD. Mean +/- SD number of symptoms reported on the self-report questionnaire was significantly higher among subjects diagnosed with OCD on clinical interview (40.7 +/- 23.2) compared with those without OCD (8.9 +/- 11.7; t = 5.8, df = 27, p <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Obsessive-compulsive disorder was 10 to 15 times more common in this cohort of patients with SLE compared with those in community-based studies of OCD. The use of an OCD self-report rating scale proved helpful in the identification of OCD symptoms among patients with SLE. Results suggest that further studies of OCD in patients with SLE are needed and may provide new insight into the pathophysiology of both disorders.
Slattery
Marcia J
MJ
National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. mslattery@wisc.edu
Dubbert
Billinda K
BK
Allen
Albert J
AJ
Leonard
Henrietta L
HL
Swedo
Susan E
SE
Gourley
Mark F
MF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires