Prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in systemic lupus erythematosus and their association with anti-ribosomal P antibodies.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and explore their association with anti-ribosomal P (anti-P) antibodies.


METHODS
Seventy-one consecutive female SLE patients without neurological manifestations were evaluated for psychiatric disorders using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Anti-P antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)/immunoblot analysis.


RESULTS
The mean age of subjects was 34.8 years (SD: 10.1 years), and the mean duration of SLE was 9.8 years (SD: 6.5 years). The 30-day prevalences of psychiatric disorders were: mood disorders 26.8%, anxiety disorders 46.5%, adjustment disorders 8.4%, alcohol abuse 1.4%, and somatoform disorder 1.4%. The lifetime prevalences of psychiatric disorders were: mood disorders 69%, anxiety disorders 52.1%, alcohol abuse 1.4%, and somatoform disorder 1.4%. Subjects with and without psychiatric manifestations did not differ regarding SLE clinical and laboratorial parameters including presence or absence of anti-P antibodies (23.1% vs. 20%, respectively, p=1.0), disease activity, as measured by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease activity Index (4.08+/-5.7 vs. 4.95+/-6.3 respectively, p=0.60) and cumulated damage, as measured by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (0.7+/-2.3 vs. 0.3+/-0.7 respectively, p=0.33).


CONCLUSIONS
Mood and anxiety disorders are the most frequently observed psychiatric disorders in female SLE patients without concomitant neurological manifestations. These mild/moderate forms of psychiatric disorders are not associated with anti-P antibodies in SLE patients. Our findings reinforce the importance of systematic psychiatric evaluation for these patients in order to provide adequate and comprehensive care.
Nery
Fabiano G
FG
Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. fabiano_nery@hotmail.com
Borba
Eduardo F
EF
Viana
Vilma S T
VS
Hatch
John P
JP
Soares
Jair C
JC
Bonfá
Eloísa
E
Neto
Francisco Lotufo
FL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000906:Antibodies; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins