TY - JOUR
T1 - Lack of replication of the association of low serum cholesterol and attempted suicide in another country raises more questions
AU - De Leon, Jose
AU - Mallory, Paula
AU - Maw, Lorraine
AU - Susce, Margaret T.
AU - Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez, M.
AU - Baca-Garcia, Enrique
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - BACKGROUND: In 2 Spanish case-control studies, low cholesterol levels in males were consistently associated with suicide attempts. METHODS: This US study tried to replicate the association between low cholesterol levels and suicide attempts, using a case-control design to study all patients admitted to Eastern State Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, during a 1-year period. Psychiatric patients who had currently attempted suicide were studied as cases, and psychiatric patients who had not currently attempted suicide served as controls. A fasting serum total cholesterol <160 mg/dL was considered a possible risk factor for suicide. Logistic regression provided an adjusted estimate of the univariate odds ratios (ORs) for confounding factors. RESULTS: There were 193 current suicide attempters (cases) and 1091 non-current suicide attempters (controls). In the total sample logistic regression model, low cholesterol levels were significantly associated with lower risk of current suicide attempt (OR, 0.60; confidence interval (CI), 0.39 to 0.92) after adjusting for confounding variables. After sex stratification, low cholesterol levels were significant only among men (OR, 0.47; CI, 0.26 to 0.86). This US study did not replicate our prior Spanish findings; to the contrary, low cholesterol levels were not associated with increased suicide risk but with a decreased risk in US men. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible cholesterol abnormalities and low body mass index may be markers of suicide risk, particularly in some male patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: In 2 Spanish case-control studies, low cholesterol levels in males were consistently associated with suicide attempts. METHODS: This US study tried to replicate the association between low cholesterol levels and suicide attempts, using a case-control design to study all patients admitted to Eastern State Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, during a 1-year period. Psychiatric patients who had currently attempted suicide were studied as cases, and psychiatric patients who had not currently attempted suicide served as controls. A fasting serum total cholesterol <160 mg/dL was considered a possible risk factor for suicide. Logistic regression provided an adjusted estimate of the univariate odds ratios (ORs) for confounding factors. RESULTS: There were 193 current suicide attempters (cases) and 1091 non-current suicide attempters (controls). In the total sample logistic regression model, low cholesterol levels were significantly associated with lower risk of current suicide attempt (OR, 0.60; confidence interval (CI), 0.39 to 0.92) after adjusting for confounding variables. After sex stratification, low cholesterol levels were significant only among men (OR, 0.47; CI, 0.26 to 0.86). This US study did not replicate our prior Spanish findings; to the contrary, low cholesterol levels were not associated with increased suicide risk but with a decreased risk in US men. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible cholesterol abnormalities and low body mass index may be markers of suicide risk, particularly in some male patients.
KW - Alcohol-related disorders
KW - Body mass index
KW - Cholesterol
KW - Depression
KW - Schizophrenia
KW - Suicide
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M3 - Article
C2 - 21808747
AN - SCOPUS:84855589229
SN - 1040-1237
VL - 23
SP - 163
EP - 170
JO - Annals of Clinical Psychiatry
JF - Annals of Clinical Psychiatry
IS - 3
ER -