Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify psychopathological predictors for suicide in a population of major depressed Diagnostic Statistical Manual-III (DSM-III) in-patients. METHOD: A total of 210 previous participants in multicentre antidepressant drug trials, carried out in a randomized double-blind design, were followed prospectively through a maximum of 10 years. Patients with a drug or alcohol abuse were excluded. The association between suicide and the pretreatment psychopathological profile was analysed using survival statistics. RESULTS: The suicide rate for non-melancholic depressed patients was significantly higher than for melancholic depressed patients. Comorbid personality disorder was independently associated with an increased suicide rate [relative hazard 3.41(CI: 1.15-10.10)]. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that the non-melancholic aspect of depression, and especially comorbid personality disorder, is associated with an increased suicidal vulnerability.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 436-440 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica |
| Volume | 107 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Publication status | Published - 2003 |
Keywords
- adult
- aged
- 80 and over
- comorbidity
- depressive disorders
- female
- follow-up studies
- male
- middle aged
- personality disorders
- risk factors
- suicide
