Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by symptoms including chronic fatigue, joint pain, swelling, skin rashes, pain, and anemia. Symptoms can flare or be in remission unpredictably, often affect multiple organ systems, and can be life-threatening. SLE is more prevalent in females and persons of color, but is not a widely prevalent disease. Perhaps because of this fact, there have been minimal advances in effective new behavioral or psychotherapeutic interventions for people living with SLE in the past two decades. Contextual psychotherapies, such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, have demonstrated effectiveness in a wide range of patient populations, including patients with cancer and those suffering from autoimmune disorders. There have also been preliminary positive findings in patients with SLE. In this manuscript, we review current literature regarding the use and efficacy of contemplative based interventions for patients living with SLE and discuss how such information could inform an intervention to positively impact psychological symptoms, physiological symptoms, and disease markers in patients with SLE. We propose the need for future research and suggest areas of specific research development and implementation.
Highlights
Autoimmune disorders are a group of conditions in which structural or functional damage to cells/tissues/organs/organ systems is produced by the correlation of immunologically competent cells or antibodies against the normal component of the body
There are multiple autoimmune diseases known to modern medicine, including inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, among others
There were 943 total subjects in these 10 studies, with predominantly female participants. They included participants suffering from respiratory infections, HIV+, and rheumatoid arthritis, and explored the effects of MBSR on various biological, immunological, and psychological parameters
Summary
Autoimmune disorders are a group of conditions in which structural or functional damage to cells/tissues/organs/organ systems is produced by the correlation of immunologically competent cells or antibodies against the normal component of the body. The incidence of celiac disease, a condition where the body's immune system attacks the small intestine, is on the rise according to the U.S National Institutes of Health and the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center [3]. Patients with autoimmune disorders often suffer from additional neuropsychiatric and psychological comorbidities [4,5,6]. Throughout their lives, 65% of patients with SLE will be diagnosed with a mood or anxiety disorder, including major depression (47%}, specific phobia (24%}, panic disorder (16%), obsessivecompulsive disorder The negative psychological impact associated with symptoms may be significant and can exert a considerable negative impact on patients' quality of life [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
