CYP2D6 ultra-rapid metabolizer phenotype not associated with attempted suicide in a large sample of psychiatric inpatients

Aim: Suicide accounts for over 800,000 deaths per year worldwide and is the tenth-leading cause of mortality in USA. Several studies have investigated cytochrome P450 CYP2D6 ultra-rapid metabolizer (UM) phenotype in relation to suicidality, with mixed results. This study tested the hypothesis of increased suicide risk among CYP2D6 UMs. Patients & methods: Among the 4264 state psychiatric hospital inpatients included, 2435 (57%) reported a prior suicide attempt. Results: No association between UM status and attempted suicide was observed in bivariate (odds ratio: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.53-1.25), multivariate (adjusted odds ratio: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.55-1.46), or risk-stratified analyses. Conclusion: These results contrast with prior reports of increased suicidality among CYP2D6 UMs and highlight the pressing need to identify reliable screening methods to better address this persistent public health problem.