Major Depressive Disorder Raises Risk of Developing Autoimmune Skin Disease

Patients with major depressive disorder are at increased risk of developing an autoimmune skin disease, according to a 2020 study. 

This large Taiwanese study aimed to investigate the association of major depressive disorder (MDD) with risk of getting a new autoimmune skin disorder (ASD).

Subjects were recruited from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan: 222,522 patients with MDD and 890,088 matched controls to assess the risk of developing ASDs.

Researchers found an increased risk of ASDs among the patients with MDD compared to the matched controls. 

Analysis showed that MDD patients had a significantly increased risk of developing the following skin conditions all of which have an autoimmune basis:

• psoriasis 
• lichen planus  
• alopecia areata  
• morphea 
• autoimmune bullous diseases 
• hidradenitis suppurativa 
• vitiligo 
• lupus erythematosus
• systemic sclerosis 
• Sjogren's syndrome 
• dermatomyositis

Conclusions of the study:

Patients with MDD had an increased risk of developing ASDs as compared to the controls. 

Further studies are needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms.

SOURCE:

Dai Y-X, Tai Y-H, Chang Y-T, Chen T-J, Chen M-H. Association between major depressive disorder and subsequent autoimmune skin diseases: A nationwide population-based cohort study. J Affect Disord. 2020;274:334-338.