Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Masquerading as Psychiatric Disorders: A Case Series

BACKGROUND: Neurological involvement has been found in many autoimmune diseases, with psychiatric abnormalities such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, and cognitive dysfunction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Here, we describe a series of 5 consecutive cases of autoimmune diseases presenting with psychiatric symptoms as the predominant manifestation. RESULT: Our case series suggests that psychiatric symptoms, mainly depression, can be one of the presenting symptoms of several autoimmune diseases that often cause a significant delay in diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Any patient, particularly females, with a newly detected psychiatric disorder that responds poorly to medical management should be properly examined for underlying primary systemic autoimmune diseases.