title: Glucose metabolism in completed suicide: a forensic-pathological pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether antemortem blood levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glucose predict completed suicide and, by extension, whether markers of glucose metabolism might be associated with a prosuicidal trait or state.
  
  
  METHODS
  From consecutively performed autopsies, samples of blood and vitreous humor from 17 suicide victims and 27 non-suicide controls were compared with regard to levels of glucose, lactate, and HbA1c.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean HbA1c was higher, and mean estimated blood glucose lower, among suicide victims, although tests revealed no significant differences (P=0.171 and P=0.395, respectively). HbA1c levels exceeding 48.0 mmol/mol, which were indicative of persistent hyperglycemia, were twice as common in suicide victims (59% vs 30%; P=0.068).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of this pilot study suggest that deranged glucose metabolism may reflect biological events antecedent to, or concomitant with, completed suicide, with the following clinical implications: recurring hyperglycemia due to defective glucose transport, which may give rise to depression and suicidal ideation, and elevated HbA1c levels, which may represent an assayable correlate to neurobiological conditions predisposing to suicide.
authors.affiliation: Jonas Forsman, Gotgatan 78, 11840, Stockholm, Sweden, jonas.forsman@ki.se.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forsman
authors.forename: Terhi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keltanen
authors.forename: Benny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liberg
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sajantila
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masterman
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindroos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D019344:Lactic Acid