Lack of Replication of the Association of Low Serum Cholesterol and Attempted Suicide in Another Country Raises More Questions

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In 2 Spanish case-control studies, low cholesterol levels in males were consistently associated with suicide attempts. METHODS: This US study tried to replicate the association between low cholesterol levels and suicide attempts, using a case-control design to study all patients admitted to Eastern State Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, during a 1-year period. Psychiatric patients who had currently attempted suicide were studied as cases, and psychiatric patients who had not currently attempted suicide served as controls. A fasting serum total cholesterol <160 mg/dL was considered a possible risk factor for suicide. Logistic regression provided an adjusted estimate of the univariate odds ratios (ORs) for confounding factors. RESULTS: There were 193 current suicide attempters (cases) and 1091 non-current suicide attempters (controls). In the total sample logistic regression model, low cholesterol levels were significantly associated with lower risk of current suicide attempt (OR, 0.60; confidence interval (CI), 0.39 to 0.92) after adjusting for confounding variables. After sex stratification, low cholesterol levels were significant only among men (OR, 0.47; CI, 0.26 to 0.86). This US study did not replicate our prior Spanish findings; to the contrary, low cholesterol levels were not associated with increased suicide risk but with a decreased risk in US men. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible cholesterol abnormalities and low body mass index may be markers of suicide risk, particularly in some male patients.