Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Masquerading as Psychiatric Disorders: A Case Series

Abstract

Background: Neurological involvement has been found in many autoimmune diseases, with psychiatric abnormalities such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, and cognitive dysfunction. Patients and Methods: Here, we describe a series of 5 consecutive cases of autoimmune diseases presenting with psychiatric symptoms as the predominant manifestation. Result: Our case series suggests that psychiatric symptoms, mainly depression, can be one of the presenting symptoms of several autoimmune diseases that often cause a significant delay in diagnosis. Conclusion: Any patient, particularly females, with a newly detected psychiatric disorder that responds poorly to medical management should be properly examined for underlying primary systemic autoimmune diseases.

Inflammation as the Common Pathophysiology Linking Stress, Mental Illness, Autoimmunity and Chronic Disease: Implications for Public Health Policy

“…• Patients with autoimmune illnesses can present with treatment-resistant depression that responds to immunosuppressive therapy [20].…”

“…While it is reasonable that individuals suff ering from a chronic illness that causes pain syndromes, fatigue and disability will experience anxiety and reactive depression, the high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity suggests additional pathophysiology. In some cases, mental health issues may be the presenting complaint in an individual subsequently diagnosed with an autoimmune illness [20,53]. Ravan JR, et al [20] described fi ve patients diagnosed with autoimmune illnesses sjögrens syndrome, scleroderma, SLE and sarcoidosis-all of whom presented with depression and were treated with antidepressants without relief before the subsequent diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder.…”

“…In some cases, mental health issues may be the presenting complaint in an individual subsequently diagnosed with an autoimmune illness [20,53]. Ravan JR, et al [20] described fi ve patients diagnosed with autoimmune illnesses sjögrens syndrome, scleroderma, SLE and sarcoidosis-all of whom presented with depression and were treated with antidepressants without relief before the subsequent diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder. In four of the fi ve subjects, the mood symptoms predated physical signs and symptoms suggestive of systemic autoimmunity.…”

The Use of Quantum Stem Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases Treatment

“…Autoimmune diseases can lead to serious complications including heart damage (Pan et al, 2022), nerve damage, anxiety disorders, depression (Ravan et al, 2021), and deep vein thrombosis (Zöller et al, 2012).…”

Cognitive Dysfunction in Hypothyroidism

“…Such patients have thyroid autoantibodies and organ-specific autoimmune diseases. There are a lot of autoimmune diseases, and they are linked to many psychological and psychiatric diseases, such as attention deficit disorder, attention and memory impairment, psychomotor retardation, depression, anxiety, and delusions of persecution (23). Hashimoto's encephalopathy and myxedema coma can make things worse in severe cases (24).…”