Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G antibodies and nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence

TY - JOUR

T1 - Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G antibodies and nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence

AU - Zhang, Yuanfen

AU - Träskman-Bendz, Lil

AU - Janelidze, Shorena

AU - Langenberg, Patricia

AU - Saleh, Ahmed

AU - Constantine, Niel

AU - Okusaga, Olaoluwa

AU - Bay-Richter, Cecilie

AU - Brundin, Lena

AU - Postolache, Teodor T

N1 - © Copyright 2012 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

PY - 2012/8

Y1 - 2012/8

N2 - OBJECTIVE: The primary aim was to relate Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and serointensity to scores on the self-rated Suicide Assessment Scale (SUAS-S). Another aim was to reevaluate the previously reported positive association between T gondii serointensity and a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence.METHOD: This cross-sectional, observational study compared T gondii serointensity and seropositivity in plasma from 54 adult suicide attempters (inpatients at Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden) and 30 adult control subjects (randomly selected from the municipal population register in Lund, Sweden) recruited between 2006 and 2010. The potential of patients and controls for self-directed violence was evaluated with the SUAS-S. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to DSM-IV criteria. Plasma samples were tested for immunoglobulin G antibodies to T gondii, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus type 1. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association between T gondii serointensity or seropositivity and a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence; multivariable linear regression was used to explore the relationship between T gondii serointensity or seropositivity and the SUAS-S. Both regression models included sex, age, and body mass index as covariates.RESULTS: Seropositivity of T gondii (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 7.12; 95% CI, 1.66-30.6; P = .008) and serointensity of T gondii (adjusted OR = 2.01; 95% CI, 1.09-3.71; P = .03) were positively associated with a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence. Seropositivity of T gondii was associated with higher SUAS-S scores, a relationship significant for the whole sample (P = .026), but not for suicide attempters only. No significant associations with other pathogens were identified.CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with previous reports on the association between T gondii infection and nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence. Confirming these results in future large longitudinal studies and including suicide as an outcome may lead to novel individualized approaches in suicide prevention.

AB - OBJECTIVE: The primary aim was to relate Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and serointensity to scores on the self-rated Suicide Assessment Scale (SUAS-S). Another aim was to reevaluate the previously reported positive association between T gondii serointensity and a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence.METHOD: This cross-sectional, observational study compared T gondii serointensity and seropositivity in plasma from 54 adult suicide attempters (inpatients at Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden) and 30 adult control subjects (randomly selected from the municipal population register in Lund, Sweden) recruited between 2006 and 2010. The potential of patients and controls for self-directed violence was evaluated with the SUAS-S. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to DSM-IV criteria. Plasma samples were tested for immunoglobulin G antibodies to T gondii, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus type 1. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association between T gondii serointensity or seropositivity and a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence; multivariable linear regression was used to explore the relationship between T gondii serointensity or seropositivity and the SUAS-S. Both regression models included sex, age, and body mass index as covariates.RESULTS: Seropositivity of T gondii (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 7.12; 95% CI, 1.66-30.6; P = .008) and serointensity of T gondii (adjusted OR = 2.01; 95% CI, 1.09-3.71; P = .03) were positively associated with a history of nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence. Seropositivity of T gondii was associated with higher SUAS-S scores, a relationship significant for the whole sample (P = .026), but not for suicide attempters only. No significant associations with other pathogens were identified.CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with previous reports on the association between T gondii infection and nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence. Confirming these results in future large longitudinal studies and including suicide as an outcome may lead to novel individualized approaches in suicide prevention.

KW - Adult

KW - Case-Control Studies

KW - Chronic Disease

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Immunoglobulin G

KW - Male

KW - Mass Screening

KW - Mental Disorders

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Questionnaires

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Self-Injurious Behavior

KW - Statistics as Topic

KW - Suicidal Ideation

KW - Suicide, Attempted

KW - Toxoplasma

KW - Toxoplasmosis

KW - Violence

U2 - 10.4088/JCP.11m07532

DO - 10.4088/JCP.11m07532

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22938818

SN - 0160-6689

VL - 73

SP - 1069

EP - 1076

JO - Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

JF - Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

IS - 8

ER -