Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Reactive Antibodies and Vitamin B1; Deficiency in Sudanese Psychiatric Patients

Abstract

The contribution of vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies, as well as the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to pathophysiology of psychiatric illnesses is well known worldwide, however it was not evaluated in Sudanese psychiatric patients. This study aimed to assess the association between the neuropsychiatric syndromes and the levels of both vitamin B1; and folic acid and SLE auto-reactive antibodies in Sudanese psychiatric patients. This study was a case control hospital based study, conducted during the period fi'om December 2009» - November 2011 in the three major psychiatric hospitals in Khartoum state — Sudan, namely, Altigani Almahi psychiatric hospital, Taha Bashr psychiatric hospital and the psychiatry unit of Khartoum teaching hospital. -The study involved two groups: a test group of 100 psychiatric patients selected fiom the above-mentionedvhospitals and age/gender matched control group of 100 subjects with no past history of psychiatric illness. The medical history and clinical status of the patients were assessed by well trained psychiatric physician. Laboratory investigations, including a complete blood count (CBC), serum vitamin B1; ,serurn folate, anti nuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-double