title: Suicide and suicidal ideation in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Little is known about the prevalence and correlates of suicidal behavior in Parkinson's disease (PD). In the first part of the study, we followed a cohort of 102 consecutive PD patients for 8 years and found that the suicide-specific mortality was 5.3 (95% CI 2.1-12.7) times higher than expected. In the second part, we tested 128 PD patients for death and suicidal ideation and administered an extensive neurological, neuropsychological and psychiatric battery. Current death and/or suicidal ideation was registered in 22.7%. On univariate logistic regression analysis, psychiatric symptoms (depression, but also anxiety and hopelessness), but not the PD-related variables, were associated with such ideation. On multivariate logistic regression analysis this association held for major depression (odds ratio=4.6; 95% CI 2.2-9.4; p<0.001), psychosis (odds ratio=19.2; 95% CI 1.4-27.3; p=0.026), and increasing score of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (odds ratio=1.2; 95% CI 1.0-1.4; p=0.008). In conclusion, the suicide risk in PD may not be as high as it is expected, but it is certainly not trivial. According to our data almost a quarter of PD patients had death and/or suicidal ideation, that may significantly influence their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology CCS, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia. vladimir.s.kostic@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vladimir S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Kostić
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pekmezović
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomić
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jecmenica-Lukić
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stojković
authors.forename: Vladana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Spica
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svetel
authors.forename: Elka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stefanova
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petrović
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dzoljić
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*