[The relationship between gene polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase and survival of oral pesticides suicide attempters].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the association between gene polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and suicide attempters taking pesticides orally and to provide a scientific base for the prevention of suicidal behavior.


METHODS
107 suicide attempters taking pesticides orally were collected from The People's Hospitals in Shandong Province from January 2003 through December 2003. The informations of all the attempters were obtained and 1 ml whole blood from of them were collected. Molecular biological techniques were used to study the gene type of each subject.


RESULTS
In the 107 suicide attempters, the ratio of male to female is 1:1.55; 67.3% of them were in age range of 20 - 44 years; 59.8% of them had education level of elementary school or lower. 13 suicide attempters (12.1% of all the attempters) had psychiatric disorders. 84 suicide attempters (78.5% of all the attempters) had affective conflicts with others in the recent year. 30 suicide attempters (28.0% of the suicide attempters) had impulsive behavior. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that suicide impulsion and psychiatric disorders were significantly associated with COMT Val/Val, their OR values were 0.052 (95% CI: 0.006 - 0.437), 2.917 (95% CI: 1.097 - 7.760).


CONCLUSIONS
In this population, more attention should be paid to young female people with psychiatric disorders or having affective conflicts with others in the recent year so as to prevent suicide. This study supported that there is heterogeneity in COMT gene in suicide attempters and there is interaction between COMT Val/Val and suicide impulsion and psychiatric disorders.
Cheng
Wen-wei
WW
Department of Emergency Medicine, People's Hospital of Zaozhuang City, Zaozhuang 277102, China. lhy1963@tom.com
Jia
Cun-xian
CX
Pan
Yong-feng
YF
Zhao
Shu-ying
SY
Jia
Gui-ying
GY
Hu
Mao-hong
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010575:Pesticides; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012424:Rural Population; D012931:Social Environment; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D010575:Pesticides; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase