Gender differences in socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and psychiatric diagnosis in/of suicide attempters in a Mexican population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to analyse demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as psychiatric diagnoses to identify gender differences in patients with attempted suicide in a Mexican population. METHODS: Between September 2010 and September 2012, 140 suicide attempts were documented in the Department of Psychiatry at the General Hospital of Comalcalco (Hospital General de Comalcalco in Spanish) in Tabasco, Mexico. Diagnoses were established using the DSM-IV questionnaire in which Axis I and II were considered. The Suicide Intent Scale was also applied. RESULTS: In our sample, 63.6% were females and 36.4% males. With regard to socio-demographic characteristics, the predominant marital status in males was single, and in females married (χ2=5.93, df=2, p=0.05). In occupation the male group was mainly unemployed and housewife in females (χ2=55.51, df=4, p<0.001). Male subjects were more likely to consume alcohol (χ2=20.40, df=1, p≤0.001), cannabis (χ2=16.62, df=1, p≤0.001) or tobacco. The prevalence of psychiatric diagnosis was significantly different because, the male group was mainly diagnosed with substance-related disorders, whereas female participants showed a prevalence of stress-related disorders (χ2=34.17, gl=4, p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence that the characteristics of suicide attempt are different by gender in the Mexican population. Interventions are necessary for the development of prevention strategies that may lead to a reduction in suicidal behaviour. These preventive activities should consider the occupation for the female group and consumption of alcohol, cannabis or tobacco in the male group.

Study on genes of the serotonergic system and suicidal behavior: protocol for a case-control study in Mexican population.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal behavior is a leading cause of injury and death worldwide. Several studies have provided a possible relationship between genetic factors and suicidal behavior. Also, these studies have shown evidence for altered serotonergic neural transmission in the pathogenesis of suicidal behavior. In addition, genes pertaining to the serotonergic system have been proposed as candidates to establish biological correlates between suicidal behavior and the serotonergic system. The most studied genes are SCL6A4, HTR2A, HTR2C, HTR1A, HTR1B, TPH-1, and TPH-2. To get a comprehensive understanding of the association with suicidal behavior we will conduct genotype assays studies in a Mexican population. METHODS/DESIGN: We will conduct a case-control study. The population sample will comprise adolescent and adult patients admitted for attempted of suicide and diagnosed by a psychiatrist. A peripheral blood sample will be taken from all the subjects (cases and controls). Genomic DNA from the leukocytes blood sample will be extracted. The genotypes of interest are distributed in the following genes: SCL6A4, HTR2A, HTR1A, HTR1B, HTR2C, TPH-2 and TPH-1. All the samples will be analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) end-point method. We will evaluate the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. The chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test will be used to compare genotype and allele frequencies between control and case groups. The Quanto 1.2 software will measure the sample size of the association. For all the association analyses the level of significance will be set at p = 0.05 and the confidence interval at 95%. DISCUSSION: Suicidal behavior has been increase in Mexico, principally in young population. Our study will demonstrate the association between serotoninergic genes and suicide behavior in Mexican population.

Association of the 5HTR2A gene with suicidal behavior: case-control study and updated meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The polymorphism rs6313 (T102C) has been associated with suicidal behavior in case-control and meta-analysis studies, but results and conclusions remain controversial. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between T102C with suicidal behavior in a case-control study and, to assess the combined evidence - this case-control study and available data from other related studies - we carried out a meta-analysis. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study that included 161 patients with suicide attempts and 244 controls; we then performed a meta-analysis. The following models were evaluated in the meta-analysis: A) C allele vs T allele; B) T allele vs C allele; C) Caucasian population, D) Asian population, and E) suicide attempters with schizophrenia. RESULTS: We found an association between attempted suicide and control participants for genotype (χ2=6.28, p=0.04, df=2) and allele (χ2=6.17, p=0.01, df=1, OR 1.48 95% IC: 1.08-2.03) frequencies in the case-control study. The meta-analysis, comprising 23 association studies (including the present one), showed that the rs6313 polymorphism is not associated with suicidal behavior for the following comparisons:T allele vs C allele (OR: 1.03; 95% CI 0.93-1.13; p(Z)=0.44); C allele vs T allele: (OR:0.99; 95% CI: 0.90-1.08; p(Z)=0.22); Caucasians (OR:1.09; 95% CI: 0.96-1.23), and Asians (OR:0.96; 95% CI: 0.84-1.09). CONCLUSION: Our results showed association between the rs6313 (T102C) polymorphism and suicidal behavior in the case-control study. However, the meta-analysis showed no evidence of association. Therefore, more studies are necessary to determine conclusively an association between T102C and suicidal behavior.

Differences Between Patients that Made an Impulsive or Premeditated Suicide Attempt in a Mexican Population.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a study to identify differences between patients with impulsive suicide attempt and those with premeditated suicide attempt in a Mexican population. METHOD: We studied 144 patients who recently attempted suicide. Impulsive and premeditated suicide attempts were evaluated with the Suicide Intent Scale. These data were divided according to the type of attempt. Subsequently, the characteristics between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The rate of patients that made an impulsive attempt was 61.8% and only 9.7% of the patients carried out a premeditated suicide attempt. More years of schooling/education and less severity of the attempt were observed in patients that carried out an impulsive suicide attempt (p < 0.001). Alcohol consumption (0.003) and use of cannabis (0.002) were present in patients who premeditated a suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that there are clinical differences among the individuals who carried out an impulsive suicide attempt from those who premeditated an attempt in a Mexican population. As a result, when planning interventions and prevention efforts it may be helpful to consider these clinical differences and demographic characteristics.