Citation

Almqvist EW, Bloch M, Brinkman R, Craufurd D, Hayden MR. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 1999; 64(5): 1293-1304.

Affiliation

Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10205260

PMCID

PMC1377865

Abstract

Prior to the implementation of predictive-testing programs for Huntington disease (HD), significant concern was raised concerning the likelihood of catastrophic events (CEs), particularly in those persons receiving an increased-risk result. We have investigated the frequency of CEs-that is, suicide, suicide attempt, and psychiatric hospitalization-after an HD predictive-testing result, through questionnaires sent to predictive-testing centers worldwide. A total of 44 persons (0.97%) in a cohort of 4,527 test participants had a CE: 5 successful suicides, 21 suicide attempts, and 18 hospitalizations for psychiatric reasons. All persons committing suicide had signs of HD, whereas 11 (52.4%) of 21 persons attempting suicide and 8 (44.4%) of 18 who had a psychiatric hospitalization were symptomatic. A total of 11 (84.6%) of 13 asymptomatic persons who experienced a CE during the first year after HD predictive testing received an increased-risk result. Factors associated with an increased risk of a CE included (a) a psychiatric history

Language: en