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Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the depressive symptoms with disease-related variables, functional status and quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Material and methods: Forty patients diagnosed with SSc and 36 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients such as the Raynaud's phenomenon, SSc subtype, digital ulcers, gastrointestinal and lung involvement and disease activity were recorded. All patients were assessed using the Short Form-36 Quality of Life (SF-36 QoL) scale, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Generalized pain and fatigue was assessed with the Visual Analogue Scale. Results: The patients with SSc had significantly higher scores in the depressive symptoms in terms of the BDI score compared to the healthy control group. According to the results of Spearman's analysis, there was a significantly correlation between the depressive symptoms with education level, generalized pain, dyspnea, disease activity score, gastroesophageal reflux, dysphagia, functional status, mental and physical score of the SF-36. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms is enhanced in patients with SSc. Depressive symptoms is especially associated with the generalised pain, disease activity, dysphagia, functional status, mental and quality of life in patients with SSc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]