Post traumatic stress disorder increases risk of lupus by three times

Exposure to trauma and post traumatic stress disorder are strongly associated with the risk of developing lupus, experts report in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

In a study of 54,763 women, those who had post traumatic stress disorder were nearly three times as likely to develop lupus; women who had experienced any traumatic event were nearly twice as likely to develop lupus.

The findings add to growing evidence that psychosocial trauma and subsequent stress responses may lead to autoimmune disease.

“We were surprised that exposure to trauma was so strongly associated with risk of lupus – trauma was a stronger predictor of developing lupus than smoking,” says Dr Andrea Roberts, lead author. “Our results add to considerable scientific evidence that our mental health substantially affects our physical health, making access to mental health care even more urgent.”

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