Impairment of the blood-CSF barrier in suicide attempters.
In a patient group of 90 suicide attempters, 18% showed an impaired blood-CSF barrier; of these 16 patients, all but one were younger than 45 years. When compared with 105 healthy controls, a significant difference in impairment of the blood-CSF barrier, between patients and controls, was seen only in those younger than 45 years (z = -2.66; P < 0.01). Paracetamol intoxication was more common among those with an impaired blood-CSF barrier than among those without an impairment (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.00029). Paracetamol intoxication was the most common method of suicide attempt in patients with adjustment disorders. There was no significant association between alcohol and/or drug abuse and an impaired blood-CSF barrier (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.91977). There were no differences in IgG index between patients and controls. The hypothesis that a blood-CSF barrier leakage may be a confounding factor when assessing the levels of monoamine metabolites in the CSF did not receive any support.
Bayard-Burfield
L
L
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Alling
C
C
Blennow
K
K
Jönsson
S
S
Träskman-Bendz
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D000418:Albumins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G