title: Alexithymia, suicide risk and serum lipid levels among adult outpatients with panic disorder.
abstract: To elucidate the relationships between alexithymia, suicide ideation and serum lipid levels in drug-naïve adult outpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of Panic Disorder (PD), 72 patients were evaluated. Measures were the Panic Attack and Anticipatory Anxiety Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Scale of Suicide Ideation (SSI) and the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Alexithymic patients showed higher scores on all rating scales and altered serum lipid levels than non-alexithymics. In the hierarchical regression model, the presence of lower HDL-C and higher VLDL-C levels and Difficulty in Identifying Feelings dimension of TAS-20 were associated with higher suicide ideation. In conclusion, alexithymic individuals with PD may show a cholesterol dysregulation that may be linked to suicide ideation. The authors discuss study limitations and future research needs.
authors: Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, Chair of Psychiatry, University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti, Italy. dodebera@aliceposta.it
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: De Berardis
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Campanella
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Serroni
authors: Francesco Saverio
authors: FS
authors: Moschetta
authors: Fabiola
authors: F
authors: Di Emidio
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Conti
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Carano
authors: Tiziano
authors: T
authors: Acciavatti
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Di Iorio
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Martinotti
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Siracusano
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Di Giannantonio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012306:Risk; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids