Suicide attempts in elderly Han Chinese patients with major depressive disorder: prevalence and associated factors

Suicide attempts (SA) are common in elderly patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), but few studies have focused on the prevalence and associated factors in elderly Chinese Han patients with MDD. A total of 266 first episode and drug naïve older patients with MDD (age ≥ 50 years) were recruited. We measured depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and psychotic symptoms by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), the positive subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Clinical General Impression Inventory (CGI S). Fasting serum samples were collected to measure thyroid hormone levels and metabolic parameters. The prevalence of SA was 24.4 %. Patients with SA had higher HAMD, HAMA, PANSS positive subscale and CGI-S scores, as well as higher levels of TSH, TgAb, TPOAb, FBG, TC, LDL-C, TG, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Logistic regression analysis showed that suicide attempts were correlated with HAMA score, CGI-S score and TC levels in elderly patients with MDD. The findings show a high prevalence of suicide attempts in elderly patients with MDD. In elderly patients with MDD, severity of anxiety, CGI-S score and TC levels were associated factors for suicide attempts. • A link between suicide attempts (SA) and biological factors has been reported. • Few studies have explored the correlation between SA, lipid, glucose and thyroid hormone levels in older patients with MDD. • The prevalence of SA among first episode and drug naïve older MDD patients was 24.4%. • HAMA and CGI-S scores differentiate between suicide attempters and non-attempters among elderly MDD patients. • High cholesterol levels were associated with suicde attempts in elderly MDD patients.