Risk factors for suicide attempts in patients with alcohol dependence or abuse and a history of depressive symptoms: A subgroup analysis from the WHO/ISBRA study

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Alcoholism, depression and suicide attempts (SA) are strongly interrelated. The aims were to determine risk factors and develop a prognostic predictor model for SA in a subgroup of patients with a history of alcohol dependence or abuse and depressive symptoms. DESIGN AND METHODS: A subgroup analysis from the data of the World Health Organisation (WHO)/the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA)-collaborative study on biological state and trait marker of alcohol use and dependence, an international multi-centre study with a cross-sectional design, based on a standardised questionnaire. We analysed from 1314 variables 43 factors-including demographic characteristics, dependence variables, comorbid disorders, personality trait markers and family history-that were supposed to be most predictive for SA according to the literature. Correlation analyses by the chi(2)-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were performed to obtain statistical meaningful parameters for logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 1863 persons included in the WHO/ISBRA study, 292 had both a history of depressive symptoms and alcohol dependence or abuse and were included in the subgroup analysis. In the logistic regression analysis, drinking status, depressive symptoms, adverse drinking experiences during alcohol consumption, bad experiences from drug abuse and antidepressant therapy were found to be independent risk factors for SA. Positive family history of alcoholism was a model-improving co-factor. This predictive model explains approximately 60% of the variance (Nagelkerkes' square). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This prognostic model derived from data of the WHO/ISBRA collaborative study shows important risk factors for SA in patients with history of alcohol abuse or dependence and depressive symptoms.