title: Month of birth, a risk factor for violent behaviour in suicidal patients admitted in emergency?
abstract: Although there are numerous publications on the existing link between month of birth and suicide, only two studies focus on suicide attempts and auto-aggressive behavior. Research data suggest that month of birth is related to a variation of 5-HIAA in the cerebrospinal fluid, which correlates with violent behavior (VB). Therefore, the aim of this study is to search, for the first time, for a possible link between month of birth and the occurrence of VB in emergency, for patients admitted for a suicide attempt with medication. This is a 10 months prospective study among all the patients of the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, admitted in emergency for a suicide attempt with medication. During a 10 months study period we included 493 patients, of which 77 (15.62%) presented VB. Higher incidence of VB was found in subjects where born at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, with a maximum for April and a minimum for December. In spite of a relatively small number of subjects, it seems promising to study the occurrence of VB as a function of month of birth in patients admitted in emergency for a suicide attempt.
authors.affiliation: Service of psychiatry and medical psychology, Universitary Hospital of Purpan-Casselardit, 170, Avenue de Casselardit, 31059, Toulouse, Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cailhol
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moraru
authors.forename: Remy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barbe
authors.forename: Anne-Hélène
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Moncany
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garcin
authors.forename: Coralie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lazignac
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Damsa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*