European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

A STUDY ON RELATION BETWEEN SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND CLINICOSOCIAL FEATURES OF BIPOLAR DISORDER PATIENTS IN A MEDICAL COLLEGE HOSPITAL

*Dr. A. Arul Mary Lubeeth, MD(Psy) and Dr. Y. Arul Prakash, MD., DPM.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Suicide, which is both a highly individualized act, is a common endpoint for many patients with severe psychiatric illness. The mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorders are by far the most common psychiatric conditions associated with suicide. At least 25% to 50% of patients with bipolar disorder attempt suicide at least once. Our aim is to identify clinical predictors of suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder through this study. Methodology: This study included bipolar patients who were treated in the Psychiatry Department, Kanyakumari Medical college Hospital, Asaripallam from jan to june 2018; an informed consent was obtained from the participants. Two hundred bipolar disorder patients were assessed by using the structured clinical interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) Axis-I (SCID-I) in order to detect all possible psychiatric comorbid diagnoses. Clinical predictors of suicide attempts were compared by taking patients into two groups –those who have attempted suicide and not attempted. This is a retrospective study. Results: The suicide attempt rate by patients in our study group is 21.5%. Suicide attempters with bipolar disorder had more lifetime comorbidity of eating disorder. Female gender and family history of bipolar disorder were significantly associated with suicide attempts. There was no difference between groups in terms of onset age of bipolar disorder, total number of episodes, and other factors. Conclusion: Our study revealed that female gender, family history of bipolar disorder are more frequent in bipolar patients with at least one suicide attempt.

Keywords: Suicide, family history of bipolar disorder.