Psychiatric morbidity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

We investigated psychiatric morbidity in patients with systemic lupus eryth ematosus, in a hospital-based study. Thirty patients (23 consecutive outpat ients and seven unselected in-patients) were prospectively assessed by a mu ltidisciplinary team for the presence of psychiatric disorders and disease activity. Psychiatric assessment was done with structured interviews. Demog raphic information was recorded in a structured proforma; all the patients completed the Presumptive Stressful Life Event Scale. A close relative was interviewed in every case. Patients who had psychiatric disorders were comp ared with the rest with respect to demographic variables, lupus disease act ivity, use of steroids, and stressful life events. We found a 50% prevalenc e of psychiatric disorders. The patients with psychiatric disorders were si milar to those who had no psychopathology with respect to age, sex, duratio n of illness, lupus activity and the use of steroids. However, they had exp erienced move stressful life events in the last year.