Serum cholesterol concentrations in parasuicide.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether people who have committed parasuicide have low serum cholesterol concentrations.


METHODS
All subjects admitted to the University Medical Unit, Ragama after parasuicide from 1.3.96 to 31.1.97 were matched for age, sex, presence of diabetes and arterial hypertension, substance abuse, body mass index and socioeconomic status with controls. Venous blood samples for cholesterol estimation were collected from parasuicides within 24 hours of admission.


RESULTS
Analysis was done on 168 parasuicide patients [males 74; mean age for males 24 years (SD 6.2), females 19 years (SD 3.3)] and 168 matched controls. Of the parasuicide subjects, 33 had a psychiatric illness and 135 were considered to have impulsive personalities. The serum cholesterol level in parasuicide patients was not significantly different from that in controls.


CONCLUSIONS
This study, the first from a developing country, did not show an association between low serum cholesterol concentrations and parasuicide.
Seneviratne
S L
SL
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama.
Warnasooriya
W M
WM
Gunatilake
S B
SB
Fonseka
M M
MM
Gunawardena
M K
MK
de Silva
H J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence
D002784:Cholesterol