Clinical predictors of psychiatric and medical morbidities of charcoal-burning suicide attempt in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
This naturalistic retrospective cohort study explored the demographic and clinical factors associated with psychiatric and medical morbidities among patients with suicide attempts by burning charcoal.


METHODS
We conducted a follow-up study of 69 cases with charcoal-burning suicide attempts in two general hospitals. The associations between demographic, clinical characteristics and outcomes were analyzed.


RESULTS
The presence of past psychiatric treatment, past history of suicide attempt and physical complications were associated with the occurrence of psychiatric morbidity after the index suicide attempt. Loss of consciousness and abnormal blood acidity were associated with medical morbidity after the index admission.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychiatric and medical morbidities are common among charcoal-burning suicide attempts and identified clinical factors associated with these problems may be useful in its management.
Lee
Edwin
E
Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong. elee@cuhk.edu.hk
Leung
Chi-Ming
CM
D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002606:Charcoal; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D002606:Charcoal