Correlates of Suicidality Among Patients with Psychotic Depression
Corresponding Author
Dr. Ayal Schaffer MD, FRCPC
Departments of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room FG 29, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4N 3M5; E-Mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAlastair J. Flint MB, ChB, FRCPC, FRANZCP
University Health Network
Search for more papers by this authorEric Smith MD, MPH
Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMASS Medical Healthcare
Search for more papers by this authorAnthony J. Rothschild MD
Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMASS Medical Healthcare
Search for more papers by this authorBenoit H. Mulsant MD
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, all part of the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorKatalin Szanto MD
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Search for more papers by this authorCatherine Peasley-Miklus PhD
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorMoonseong Heo PhD
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorEros Papademetriou MA
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorBarnett S. Meyers MD
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Dr. Ayal Schaffer MD, FRCPC
Departments of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room FG 29, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4N 3M5; E-Mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAlastair J. Flint MB, ChB, FRCPC, FRANZCP
University Health Network
Search for more papers by this authorEric Smith MD, MPH
Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMASS Medical Healthcare
Search for more papers by this authorAnthony J. Rothschild MD
Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMASS Medical Healthcare
Search for more papers by this authorBenoit H. Mulsant MD
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, all part of the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorKatalin Szanto MD
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Search for more papers by this authorCatherine Peasley-Miklus PhD
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorMoonseong Heo PhD
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorEros Papademetriou MA
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorBarnett S. Meyers MD
department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Westchester. The authors are all part of the Study of the Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic Depression (STOP-PD) Study Group.
Search for more papers by this authorSupported by USPHS grants MH62446, MH62518, MH62565, and MH62624 from the National Institutes of Mental Health, and by donation of study medications from Eli Lilly Corporation and Pfizer Corporation. The NIMH, Eli Lilly Corporation and Pfizer Corporation had no further role in the data analysis reported in this manuscript, or in the process of writing and submission for publication. Clinical Trial Registration: STOP-PD Clinical Trials.gov Registration NCT00056472.
Abstract
The independent association of age and other factors with suicidality in patients with major depression with psychotic features was examined. Of the 183 study participants, 21% had a suicide attempt during the current episode. Male gender, Hispanic background, past suicide attempt, higher depression scores, and higher cognitive scores were each independently associated with greater intensity of current suicidality. Older age was independently associated with a lower risk of a lifetime suicide attempt. These findings reinforce the evidence that patients with psychotic depression are at high risk for suicide and underscore the importance of examining correlates of suicidality specific to patients with psychotic depression.
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