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. 2018 Apr;32(4):482-488.
doi: 10.1177/0269881118764022. Epub 2018 Mar 19.

A probe in the connection between inflammation, cognition and suicide

Ricardo Cáceda  1 , W Sue T Griffin  2 , Pedro L Delgado  3
Affiliations

A probe in the connection between inflammation, cognition and suicide

Ricardo Cáceda et al. J Psychopharmacol. 2018 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Increased inflammation is linked to suicide risk. However, it is unclear whether increased inflammation drives suicidal crises or is a trait associated with lifetime suicidal behavior. Limited data exist on the sources of increased inflammation observed in suicidal patients and on its downstream effects.

Aims: To examine factors associated with inflammation and with suicidal ideation severity in acutely suicidal depressed patients.

Methods: Fifty-two adult depressed patients of both sexes hospitalized for severe suicidal ideation were characterized for suicidality, depression, anxiety, medical comorbidity, psychological and physical pain, impulsivity, verbal fluency, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL) 6. Two generalized linear models were performed with either CRP or suicidal ideation severity as dependent variables.

Results: CRP levels were positively associated with age, body mass index (BMI), IL6, current physical pain and number of lifetime suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation severity was not significantly correlated with either CRP or IL6. Suicidal ideation severity was positively associated with female sex, presence of an anxiety disorder, current physical pain, number of lifetime suicide attempts and with delay discounting for medium and large losses.

Conclusions: Increased inflammation is not associated with acute suicidal risk, but seems to represent a trait associated with lifetime suicidal behavior.

Keywords: CRP; IL6; Suicide; impulsivity; inpatient; psychological pain.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Meaningful correlations of inflammatory markers and suicidal ideation severity in adult depressed patient with suicidal ideations. (a) correlation of C-reactive protein (CRP) with age, interleukin (IL)6, body mass index (BMI), physical pain and number of lifetime suicide attempts. (b) Correlation of suicidal ideation severity with CRP, IL6, physical pain, number of lifetime suicide attempts and delay discounting for large losses.
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