Suicidality in bipolar compared to unipolar depressed inpatients

Abstract

The aim of the present analyses was to evaluate differences in suicidality (past suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts at time of admission and completed suicides during the hospital stay) between bipolar and unipolar depressed inpatients. Apart from a higher frequency of past suicide attempts in bipolar depressed patients (26.6% in bipolar vs. 17.8% in unipolar patients), findings do not indicate any further differences in suicidality (suicidal thoughts (about 40% in both groups) and completed suicides during the hospital stay (0.8% in both groups)) between bipolar and unipolar patients. Factors with a predictive value for suicidal thoughts at the time of admission were a positive family history for affective disorders, past suicide attempts, and the depressive and paranoid hallucinatory syndrome (all associated with an increased risk). Female gender, an older age at hospitalisation and a longer duration of the illness were found to be associated with a lower probability for having suicidal tendencies at the time of admission. The risk for committing suicide during the hospital stay was increased if the patients had a history of past suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts at the time of admission. A more pronounced depressive syndrome at time of admission was slightly associated with a lower risk of committing suicide.

Lithium Reduces Pathological Aggression and Suicidality: A Mini-Review

“…Although some studies found a somewhat lower suicide rate in bipolar as compared to unipolar patients [15,16] , others found higher rates in bipolar patients [17][18][19] , particularly in bipolar II patients.…”

Family, twin, and adoption studies of bipolar disease

“…Rates of the disorder decline as income and education levels increase [3]. Individuals with bipolar disorder face an increased risk of developing alcoholism [4•], and of dying from suicide [5]; moreover, their risk of suicide increases substantially when bipolar disease is comorbid with alcoholism [6]. Both lithium carbonate and anticonvulsive agents are commonly prescribed for the disorder's treatment, and they are effective in treating both the depressive and manic phases of the disorder.…”

Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder type I: an update for the clinician

“…18,19 Reports of the prevalence of suicidal ideation vary from 14% to 59% in bipolar samples [20][21][22][23][24][25] and only a few cross-sectional studies have examined variables that influence suicidal ideation in BD and its relationship with suicide attempts. Some risk factors associated with the presence of suicidal ideation are positive family history for affective disorder, severe depression, 12 psychotic symptoms, 26 past suicide attempt, 23,26 comorbidity with alcohol abuse or dependence, 23 panic spectrum symptoms, 27 and earlier age of onset. 28 Valtonen et al, in a cross-sectional study with a sample of 191 patients with bipolar disorder, showed that 61% (n = 116) reported suicidal ideation during the index-episode and 20% (n = 39) had attempted suicide in the same episode.…”