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A prospective study of psychiatric disorder and cognitive function in systemic lupus erythematosus
1ARC Epidemiology Research Unit, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Objectives:
To investigate change in psychiatric disorder and change in cognitive function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) assessed on two occasions two years apart.
Methods:
A prospective cohort study of 49 patients with SLE using standardised psychiatric and clinical research methods.
Results:
The point prevalence of psychiatric disorder (20% and 24%), and of cognitive impairment (23% and 18%), was similar at first and second interview for the whole group. There was, however, considerable change in individual patient's psychiatric status and cognitive function: only 1/9 patients with impairment on two or more cognitive tests at first interview was still impaired at second interview. Change in cognitive function appeared to mirror change in psychiatric status.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that the previously reported high prevalence of cognitive impairment in SLE may be explained by coexisting psychiatric disorder, rather than reflecting subclinical central nervous system (CNS) involvement.