400 medical professionals and 676 lupus patients participated in the study, which was published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.
Under the direction of academics from the University of Cambridge and King’s College London, an international study team interviewed 50 clinicians and 69 patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic illnesses, including lupus, in-depth.
Scientists believe that a rise in “daymares,” or dreams and hallucinations, could signal the beginning of autoimmune disorders like lupus. One of the study patients was feeling like “Alice in Wonderland” since they were so lost.
More awareness is desired by researchers on the potential role that these neurological and mental health symptoms can have as an “early warning sign” that a patient is about to experience a “flare,” in which their illness temporarily worsens.