[Psychiatric disorders in rheumatic diseases, as exemplified by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)]

Among the rheumatic diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) reveals the highest frequency of central nervous symptoms. Psychiatric abnormalities are present in over 90% of the patients, if very mild cognitive impairment is included. The psychiatric syndromes listed by the American College of Rheumatologists encompass cognitive syndromes, including the acute confusional state, anxiety disorders, depressive symptomatology and psychosis. Associations between cognitive impairment and demographic and disease variables, i. e. disease severity, have not been clearly identified so far. The same holds true for the evolution of depressive symptoms. Reactive depression in coping with a chronic disease is, however, a psychologically plausible factor in addition to specific cerebral lesions. Therapeutic interventions in SLE should consist of a combined pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment. Corticosteroid drugs, however, may be effective in alleviating mild psychiatric symptoms as well.