PTSD Increases Risk of Lupus
January 24, 2018 · Posted in Risk Factors
A new large 2017 study in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatology reports that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women triples their risk of developing the autoimmune disease lupus. The study included 54,763 civilian women whose health data was tracked over a period of 24 years.
Not only did PTSD increase lupus risk, but any traumatic event doubled lupus risk compared to women who were not exposed to trauma.
The researchers, led by Andrea L. Roberts, were taken by surprise at the strong links between trauma and lupus. Trauma was more of a risk factor for lupus than smoking.
