OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate personality traits and associated changes in female patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), linking variations in disease activity with alterations in personality traits. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients from the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic at the University Hospital of Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) participated in this study. Patients were re-evaluated three and six months after the initial evaluation for the presence of Psychiatric Disorders (especially personality changes) and lupus activity. The Adjustment/Neuroticism Factorial Scale (AFS) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), along with clinical psychiatric and rheumatologic assessment, were used to evaluate patients. RESULTS: No significant correlation between SLEDAI and AFS scores was observed. According to the AFS, the scores of six patients (30%) were suggestive of Personality Disorders, but psychiatric evaluation confirmed this diagnosis in only two (10%) patients. A typical personality pattern or prevalence of a specific Personality Disorder was not observed; however, an important prevalence of Depression (65%) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that patients with lupus can develop different types of behavior and psychiatric symptoms without a typical personality trait. No significant correlation between personality changes and disease activity was observed.
psychiatric disorders; personality changes; systemic lupus erythematosus
