OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation among systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and to assess the psychological susceptibility of suicidal ideation.

METHODS324 SLE patients in Hefei city were interviewed with questionnaires, including Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ) and self-made questionnaire to collect information on suicidal ideation, social-demographic characteristics, etc. T test was used to compare the scores of personality and coping styles with national psychological norms. These odds ratios (95%CI) of the two factors for suicidal ideation were calculated by logistic regression, adjusted to socio-demographic factors.

RESULTSCurrent suicidal ideation was present in 108(33.3%) of 324 SLE patients. The standard scores of neuroticism (49.81 ± 10.03, t = 15.327, P < 0.01) and psychoticism (49.84 ± 9.73, t = 3.142, P < 0.01) were both higher than norms (neuroticism: 41.27 ± 9.42; psychoticism: 48.14 ± 9.74). The standard score of extrovision and introvision (50.43 ± 9.90) was lower than norm (57.75 ± 8.26) (t = -13.317, P < 0.01). Both scores of positive coping (34.36 ± 7.86) and negative coping (28.87 ± 7.79) were higher than norms of female healthy group (PC: 29.32 ± 8.96, NC: 22.34 ± 7.47) (t values were 11.543 and 15.102, P values all < 0.01) and patients' group (PC: 29.15 ± 9.28, NC: 25.36 ± 8.42) (t values were 8.122 and 11.932, P values all < 0.01). After adjusting the social-demographic variables, neurotic personality (OR = 1.110, 95%CI: 1.072 - 1.149) and high level of negative coping (OR = 1.069, 95%CI: 1.030 - 1.109) were significantly correlated with suicidal ideation in SLE patients.

CONCLUSIONThe rate of suicidal ideation in SLE patients in China was a little higher. Neurotic personality and negative coping were the psychological susceptibility of suicidal ideation in SLE patients.