DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS - ASSOCIATION WITH CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM LUPUS AND SJOGRENS-SYNDROME

Objective. To determine if patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with depressive symptoms differ in regard to organ involvement a nd serological activity from other patients with SLE. Methods. Disease manifestations were compared between 71 patients with SLE with a hist ory of depressive symptoms and 278 patients without a history of depre ssive symptoms by univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression . Results. Both univariate and logistic regression analysis revealed a n association of depressive symptoms with neuropsychiatric lupus and s econdary Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Patients with neuropsychiatric lupus had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.43 (95 % CI 2.55, 4.63; p = 0.00005), and patients with secondary SS had an adjusted odds ratio of 2.97 (95 % CI 2.08, 4.25; p = 0.0006) for depressive symptoms. No other organ involvement or serological abnormality was associated with depressed m ood. Conclusion. These discrete associations of depressive symptoms wi th neuropsychiatric lupus and secondary SS suggest that depression doe s not occur purely as a response to social stresses, and may be a mani festation of autoimmune disease in some patients.