Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as a prototypic autoimmune disorder are characterized by autoantibody formation against nuclear antigens.

To evaluate the effect of depression, age, weight, smoking, sunlight exposure and alcohol drinking on antinuclear (ANA) and anti-double-stranded-DNA-antibody (anti-dsDNA) level in lupus-patients.

To evaluate the effect of depression and some individual or lifestyle-habits on lupus.

Comparison of 46 variables along with their intercorrelations was done in ANA-positive patients and ANA-negative healthy subjects.

Depression status and its prevalence in lupus-patients were higher than controls. Furthermore, more depressed patients had higher ANA and anti-dsDNA level which their level had a direct correlation with the age and weight of patients. However, ANA was more correlated with age and anti-dsDNA with weight. Higher ANA titer was also associated with higher consumption of alcohol and permanent hair products which after controlling for age and weight, only the first correlation remained significant. Anti-dsDNA titer was also positively associated with some of lifestyle habits which after controlling for age and weight, only the correlations with hookah consumption and sunlight exposure remained significant. Moreover the percentage of eosinophils was directly correlated with the level of tow aforesaid autoantibodies.

These findings suggest that depression score along with age and weight of ANA-positive lupus-patients as well as some of their health-related habits such as hookah smoking, direct sunlight exposure and alcohol drinking may affect the titer of autoantibodies in these patients. Further studies are required to evaluate the role of these factors in the exacerbations of SLE.