Psychiatric morbidity in outpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

A study group of 25 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a control group of 25 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) attending a routine outpatient clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital were psychiatrically evaluated. The patients were assessed using two structured interview tools: the Present State Examination and the Mini-Mental State Examination. The results showed a relatively high prevalence of neurotic depression in both groups (40% in SLE and 32% in RA). Ratings of tension, worry and social unease were high in both groups. No psychoses or organic disorders were found. Steroid usage did not appear to have contributed to psychiatric symptoms. It is suggested that the psychiatric morbidity in this group of SLE patients was due to psychosocial rather than organic factors.