Obesity is associated with previous suicide attempts in bipolar disorder.
Gomes FA, Kauer-Sant'Anna M, Magalhães PV, Jacka FN, Dodd S, Gama CS, Cunha Â, Berk M, Kapczinski F. Obesity is associated with previous suicide attempts in bipolar disorder.


OBJECTIVE
There is a paucity of data about risk factors for suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. The aim of this study is to examine the association between suicide attempts and obesity in people with bipolar disorder.


METHODS
Two hundred fifty-five DSM-IV out-patients with bipolar disorder were consecutively recruited from the Bipolar Disorder Program at Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre and the University Hospital at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Brazil. Diagnosis and clinical variables were assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-axis I (SCID I) and Program structured protocol. History of suicide attempts was obtained from multiple information sources including patients, relatives and review of medical records. Patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 were classified as obese.


RESULTS
Over 30% of the sample was obese and over 50% had a history of suicide attempt. In the multivariate model, obese patients were nearly twice (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.06-3.69, p = 0.03) as likely to have a history of suicide attempt(s).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results emphasise the relevance of obesity as an associated factor of suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. Obesity may be seen as correlate of severity and as such, must be considered in the comprehensive management of bipolar patients.
1Bipolar Disorders Program and INCT Translational Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Fabiano A
FA
Gomes
1Bipolar Disorders Program and INCT Translational Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Márcia
M
Kauer-Sant'Anna
1Bipolar Disorders Program and INCT Translational Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Pedro V
PV
Magalhães
2Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne, Geelong, Australia.
Felice N
FN
Jacka
2Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne, Geelong, Australia.
Seetal
S
Dodd
1Bipolar Disorders Program and INCT Translational Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Clarissa S
CS
Gama
3University Hospital, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Angelo
A
Cunha
2Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne, Geelong, Australia.
Michael
M
Berk
1Bipolar Disorders Program and INCT Translational Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Flávio
F
Kapczinski