Anti-ribosomal P antibodies related to depression in early clinical course of systemic lupus erythematosus.
BACKGROUND
Diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric lupus is still a major challenge in clinical practice. We investigated the association between depression and anti-ribosomal P (anti-P) antibodies in a sample of Iranian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
This cross-sectional study was conducted on adult patients with SLE referring to a referral out-patient clinic of rheumatology. Demographic data and clinical data with regards to measuring disease activity with the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index were gathered. Anti-P antibodies were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Depression severity was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II.


RESULTS
One hundred patients (80% female and 20% male, age = 34.8 ± 10.9 years) were included. Anti-P antibodies were present more frequently in depressed than non-depressed patients (30% vs. 10%, P = 0.015). Depression severity was correlated with anti-P antibodies level only in patients with disease duration of less than 2 years (r = 0.517, P = 0.019). There was no association between the depression severity and disease activity. Binary logistic regression analysis showed age (B = 0.953, CI 95%: 0.914-0.993) and positive anti-P antibodies (B = 4.30, CI 95%: 1.18-15.59) as factors that independently associated with depression.


CONCLUSIONS
We found an association between depression and presence of anti-P antibodies, and also strong correlation between depression severity and anti-P antibodies level in newly diagnosed SLE patients. Depression severity in newly diagnosed SLE patients may reflect a neuropsychiatric involvement, and in later phases, it is more affected by the chronicity of the disease as well as other environmental factors.
Department of Rheumatology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mansoor
M
Karimifar
Department of Rheumatology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Iman
I
Sharifi
Department of Psychiatry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Katayoun
K
Shafiey
Autoantibody; depression; neuropsychiatric; ribosomal proteins; systemic lupus erythematosus