Citation

Roaldset JO, Bakken AM, Bjørkly S. Psychiatry Res. 2011; 186(2-3): 293-299.

Affiliation

Aalesund Hospital, Psychiatric Department, 6025 Aalesund, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7489 Trondheim, Norway.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2010.07.029

PMID

20807666

Abstract

Cross-sectional studies have reported an association between lipids and serotonin levels and aggression, but a literature search revealed a paucity of prospective studies. Subjects of the present naturalistic study were 254 of all (489) involuntary and voluntary acutely admitted patients to a psychiatric hospital during 1year. Serum lipids and platelet serotonin at admission were prospectively compared with recorded intra-institutional and 1-year post-discharge violence and self-harm. Total cholesterol had a significant negative relationship to inpatient suicidal behaviour and inpatient violent behaviour and to 3-months post-discharge violent behaviour. Triglycerides were a significant marker of inpatient self-mutilation and of self-mutilation in combination with suicidal behaviour at 3- and 12-months of follow-up. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) had a significant negative relationship to 12-months' violence, and to repeated violence in seven patients with two or more admissions. The post-discharge relationships between total cholesterol and violence and between triglycerides and self-harm remained significant even when controlling for other possible explanatory variables in a multivariate model. Results did not change after controlling for current medication at admission. There was no association between platelet serotonin and violence or self-harm. Future research may examine if lipid measurements add incremental validity to established clinical risk assessment procedures of violent and self-harm behaviour.

Language: en