A large international study has probed the causes of lupus-related psychosis—a serious condition marked by delusions and hallucinations. Dr. John Hanly and his co-authors at research centers across several continents found that lupus psychosis (LP) is quite rare, affecting only 1.5 percent of people with lupus. They also observed that the condition tends to occur more often in the first few years after a diagnosis with lupus and is more frequent among male patients and patients of African descent.

For people in the middle of a psychotic episode, LP can be extremely debilitating. In looking at the short- and long-term effects of LP among a large group, Dr. Hanly’s team found that most patients can expect to recover quickly and regain their mental health, especially when they receive regular follow-up care.

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