Do Patients with Psychiatric Diseases Tend to Have Positive SLE Reactive autoantibodies and Vitamin B12 deficiency

Abstract

Background: the relationship between neuropsychiatric manifestations and systemic lupus

erythematosus (SLE) reactive autoantibodies, VitaminB12 and Folate levels are controversial and

were not investigated before in Sudanese psychiatric patients. Aim: to determine the association

between psychiatric manifestations and several SLE reactive autoantibodies, Vitamin B12 and

Folate levels.

Material and Methods: the study involved a test group of one hundred psychiatric patients and

age/gender matched control group of one hundred apparently healthy subjects. Antinuclear

antibodies (ANA), anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies and ANA profile, Vitam.

B12 and Folate levels were measured for each studied subject using ELISA method. The

association between various SLE reactive antibodies and psychiatric illnesses were assessed

using Mid-P extract test. P < 0.05 was considered significant. The association between

Vitam.B12 or folate deficiencies and psychiatric illness were assessed using fisher extract test.

P<0.05 was consider significant.

Results: all subjects in the control group were ANA and dsDNA negative, however, only one

(1%) was positive for anti-histone antibody (ANA profile). Regarding patients with psychiatric

diseases, 6% were ANA positive, 2% were dsDNA and 6% ANA profile positive. In contrast to

dsDNA, there were significant associations between psychiatric diseases and ANA and/or ANA

مجلة النيلين الطبية – العدد العاشر 2013 June NMJ

profile antibodies (P = 0.007 for ANA, P = 0.0125 for dsDNA and P = 0.033 for ANA profile).

Significant association was found in the levels of Vitam.B12 deficiency and psychiatric diseases.

No significance was found in the folate level.

Conclusion: Sudanese patients with psychiatric diseases tend to have positive SLE reactive

autoantibodies especially for ANA and ANA profile antibodies and Vit B12 deficiency.