Relationship Between Suicide Attempts and Peripheral Blood Markers in Patients Who Visited the Emergency Department
10.22857/kjbp.2024.31.2.004
- Author:
Seok-Ho CHOI
1
;
Seo-Hyun CHOI
;
Seri MAENG
;
Jae Nam BAE
;
Jeong-Seop LEE
;
Won-Hyoung KIM
;
Yangsik KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
- Publication Type:ORIGINAL ARTICLE
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Biological Psychiatry
2024;31(2):40-50
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objectives:We investigate relationship between suicide attempts and peripheral blood inflammatory markers in patients visiting the emergency department (ED) for psychiatric consultations, aiming to identify potential biomarkers for predicting suicide risk.
Methods:We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 569 patients who were referred to psychiatric consultation at the ED from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. Demographic and clinical characteristics and various blood test markers were analyzed. Analyses were performed to compare differences in blood markers between suicide attempters and non-attempters and among those with varying histories of suicide attempts.
Results:Among 569 patients, 398 (69.9%) had attempted suicide. Significant differences in leukocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, red blood cells (RBCs), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and ketone bodies were observed between suicide attempters and non-attempters. Further analysis revealed that patients with a history of suicide attempts had higher lymphocyte and eosinophil counts but lower LDH and ketone body levels. An increasing frequency of past suicide attempts correlated with higher lymphocyte and eosinophil count and lower neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune inflammatory index, glucose, LDH, and ketone body levels.
Conclusions:We identify blood markers associated with suicide attempts, indicating that leukocyte, lymphocyte, eosinophil, RBC count, LDH, and ketone body levels could serve as potential biomarkers for assessing suicide risk. Findings underscore importance of biological assessments in conjunction with psychological evaluations in predicting and preventing suicide attempts. Further research is needed to validate these biomarkers and understand mechanisms.
