Low HDL cholesterol is associated with suicide attempt among young healthy women: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
BACKGROUND
Serum cholesterol is reported to be associated with suicidality, but studies conducted among general healthy population are rare. We examined the association between serum cholesterol and suicidality in a national sample of the general population of US.


METHODS
We used the data of 3237 adults aged 17 to 39 years, who completed a mental disorder diagnostic interview and had blood specimens collected after a 12-h fast, as a part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. The serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were dichotomized according to the recommended levels of the National Cholesterol Education Program. A polytomous logistic regression was employed to control for covariates.


RESULTS
Independent of socio-demographic variables, health risks and nutrition status, and a history of medical and psychiatric illness (including depression), a significant association between low HDL-C (< or = 40 mg/dl) and increased prevalence of suicide attempts was observed in women (OR=2.93, 95% CI=1.07-8.00). No significant evidence was found to support an association between cholesterol and suicide ideation in women. Serum cholesterol was unrelated with either suicide ideation or attempts in men.


CONCLUSIONS
The inherent limitation of cross-sectional design prevented the authors from investigating causality.


CONCLUSIONS
Low HDL-C is significantly associated with suicide attempts in women. Further studies are necessary to explore the clinical application of serum cholesterol as an indicator for suicide attempts among high risk population.
Zhang
Jian
J
Division of Health and Family Studies, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, United States. bvw2@cdc.gov
McKeown
Robert E
RE
Hussey
James R
JR
Thompson
Shirley J
SJ
Woods
John R
JR
Ainsworth
Barbara E
BE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol