@article{ref1,
title="Suicidality in Huntington's disease",
journal="Journal of affective disorders",
year="2012",
author="Hubers, Anna A. M. and Reedeker, N. and Giltay, E. J. and Roos, Raymund A. C. and van Duijn, E. and Van der Mast, R. C.",
volume="136",
number="3",
pages="550-557",
abstract="BACKGROUND: In Huntington's disease (HD) the risk of suicide is increased. Since suicidality may precede suicide, this study investigates prevalence, clinical associations and predictors of suicidality in HD. METHODS: Suicidality was investigated in 152 mutation carriers and 56 non-carriers, and was considered present if the score on the item 'suicidal ideation' of the Problem Behaviours Assessment (PBA) was >1 point. After 2years, 100 mutation carriers who were free of suicidality at baseline were re-assessed. Associations and predictors of suicidality were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Eleven (20%) pre-motor and 20 (20%) motor symptomatic mutation carriers were considered suicidal compared to none of the non-carriers. Cross-sectionally, suicidal mutation carriers were more likely to use antidepressants (odds ratio=5.3), were more often apathetic (OR=2.8), more often had a depressed mood according to the PBA (OR=5.9), and were more often diagnosed with a DSM-IV depression diagnosis (OR=4.7). Independent associations were more frequent use of antidepressants (OR=4.0) and presence of a depressed mood (OR=4.2). Longitudinally, depressed mood (OR=10.6) at baseline was the only independent predictor of suicidality at follow-up. LIMITATIONS: Selection bias might have occurred which could have affected the suicidality rate. CONCLUSION: It is important to screen both pre-motor and motor symptomatic HD mutation carriers for suicidality. The presence of a depressed mood is both associated with and predictive of suicidality in HD and assessment of depressed mood can help to identify individuals with increased risk for suicide.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0165-0327",
doi="10.1016/j.jad.2011.10.031",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2011.10.031"
}