Citation

Huan M, Hamazaki K, Sun Y, Itomura M, Hamazaki T. Int. Med. J. 2005; 12(1): e55.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Japan International Cultural Exchange Foundation)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies show that low fish intake is a risk factor of suicidality1). However, there are no case-control studies investigating suicide attempt risk and tissue n-3 fatty acid levels.

METHODS: We recruited 100 suicide attempt cases and another 100 control patients injured by accidents who were admitted to three hospitals affiliated with Dalian Medical University in Dalian, China. Cases and controls were matched for age, sex and smoking status. Cases and controls who were inebriated at the time of hospitalization were excluded. Blood was sampled immediately after admission to a hospital. Washed RBCs were obtained, and the fatty acid composition of the total phospholipid fraction of RBC was analyzed by gaschromatography.

RESULTS: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels in RBC in the cases were significantly lower than those of the controls (0.72 ± 0.53% vs. 1.06 ± 0.62%, p<0.0001). When the highest and lowest quartiles of EPA in RBC were compared, the crude relative risk of suicide attempt was 0.12 in the highest quartile (95% CI: 0.05-0.30, p for trend <0.0001), which did not change appreciably after adjustment for possible confounding factors (relative risk: 0.12 with 95% CI: 0.04-0.36, p for trend <0.0001). Docosahexaenoic acid levels had a similar trend.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that low n-3 fatty acid levels in tissues were a risk factor of suicide attempt. Further studies including intervention with fish oil were warranted. © 2005 Japan International Cultural Exchange Foundation.

Language: en

Keywords

human; China; Suicide attempt; food intake; suicide attempt; docosahexaenoic acid; hospitalization; risk factor; article; major clinical study; controlled study; blood sampling; hospital admission; gas chromatography; demography; case control study; erythrocyte; fatty acid; fatty acid blood level; Case control study; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Fish oil; icosapentaenoic acid; lipid composition; phospholipid