Life-style activities in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: We evaluated the life-style activities of outpatients with SLE and factors that reduce their social activities.

Subjects: SLE group = 60 patients, Control 1 = 30 healthy subjects and Control 2 = 30 patients with other autoimmune diseases. The Frenchay Activity Index (FAI), Zung's self-rating depression scale (SDS), and the Japanese version of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center morale scale-revised (MS) were compared between groups. Relation between FAI and age, disease duration, steroid dose, SDS, and MS were examined in the SLE group, Control 1, and Control 2.

Results: Total scores by FAI was 28.1 +/-8.0 points in Control 1, whereas it was 26.5 +/- 5.8 points in Control 2 and 24.5 +/- 7.7 points in the SLE group. While there was no statistical difference between the SLE group and Control 2, the scores were significantly lower in the SLE group than in Control 1 (P < 0.05). In SLE patients, age, the duration of the disease, and the steroid dose had no correlation, but MS had a positive correlation (P < 0.05) and SDS had a negative correlation (P < 0.05). In Control 2, age, the duration of the disease, the steroid dose, MS and SDS had no correlation whereas there was significant negative relation between FAI and SDS in Control 1 (r= -0.516, P<0.005).

Conclusion: The significant relation between life-style activities and subjective well-being, and depression in SLE suggests that detection and treatment of mental status is important in improving the life-style activities of SLE patients.