title: Depression in systemic lupus erythematosus, dependent on or independent of severity of disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of depression in subjects with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in relation to the general population and to unravel the relation between depression and SLE disease characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and two subjects with SLE (mean age 44.4 years) were studied using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score to estimate the prevalence of depression. The BDI scores in subjects with SLE were compared with BDI scores from a pan-European population based study (Outcome in Depression International Network (ODIN) study, n = 7934), i.e. the general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean BDI score was higher in SLE subjects (10.1 points) compared with the BDI scores derived from the general population (10.1 versus 5.6 points, respectively, p < 0.001). This corresponds to a prevalence of depression of 16.6% and 6.7%, respectively. There was no association between disease activity or organ damage and BDI scores in subjects with SLE (p > 0.1). Only 7% of SLE subjects with high BDI scores used antidepressants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean BDI score and prevalence of depression are significantly higher in SLE subjects compared with the general population. No association was found between SLE disease characteristics and BDI scores. The number of depressed SLE subjects treated with antidepressants is low, suggesting inadequate recognition and treatment of depression in SLE.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Exel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: L-A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Korswagen
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Voskuyl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: I E M
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Bultink
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; depression; disease activity