Psychosis and Visceral Involvement with SLE & Anti-Ribosomal P Protein Antibody

Patients with SLE who have antibodies to ribosomal P protein have an increased risk for:

(1) psychosis, depression and other forms of central nervous sytem disease

(2) chronic active hepatitis (CAH)

(3) lupus nephritis

The level of anti-ribosomal P protein antibodies fluctuates and correlates with SLE disease activity. Therefore, a single determination during a period of low disease activity may fail to detect the antibody.