Prediction of depression in systemic lupus erythematosus patients using SF-36 Mental Health scores

Objective. As depression is common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pa tients, we investigated whether and how the Medical Outcome Survey Short Fo rm 36 (SF-36) scores, routinely used in the assessment of SLE patients, wou ld indicate the absence or presence of depression. Method's. The Depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Sc ale (HADS-D) and the SF-36 were applied in a cross-sectional cohort of 60 S LE patients [mean age 45 (S.D. 15) yr, disease duration 11 (9) yr, 90% fema le, 100% Caucasians]. The SF-36 domain score with the closest association w ith HADS-D was used for further analysis. On the basis of HADS-D scores, th e patients were split into two groups: one without depression (score < 8) a nd the other with possible depression (score greater than or equal to8). Results. The SF-36 Mental Health score was most closely correlated to the d epression score (p = -0.69, P < 0.0005). The calculated Mental Health score cut-off value which significantly differentiated possibly depressed from n on-depressed SLE patients was 61. Its sensitivity for the detection of poss ible depression was 89%, its specificity 77% and its negative predictive va lue 97%. Conclusions. The present study contributes to knowledge of means of excludi ng depression and the prevention of underdiagnosis and undertreatment of de pression in SLE patients.