Citation

Shinozaki G, Romanowicz M, Passov V, Rundell J, Mrazek D, Kung S. J. Affect. Disord. 2013; 147(1-3): 373-378.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of South Dakota, United States; Mental Health Service Line, Sioux Falls VA Medical Center, Sioux Falls, SD, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States. Electronic address: gen.shinozaki@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2012.11.043

PMID

23261136

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5HTTLPR) and child abuse history have been associated with an increased suicide risk for general population, but such association is not clear among psychiatric depressed inpatients. METHODS: A chart review identified 422 depressed inpatients genotyped for 5HTTLPR. Child abuse and suicide attempt history were recorded. The relationship between 5HTTLPR, child abuse, and suicide attempts were analyzed. RESULTS: There was a significant relationship between 5HTTLPR and history of suicide attempt (the long/long versus the short carriers, 47.9% versus 31.8%, p=0.0015). There was also a significant main effect from child abuse history (abused versus not abused, 45.1% versus 28.6%, p=0.0001). The likelihood ratio test showed a significant result for the l/l genotype group with child abuse history (odds ratio 4.11, χ2 = 23.5, p<0.0001). No significant result was obtained from other groups. LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study based on chart review. Replication with more standardized research setting for measurements of child abuse history and suicide attempt history is needed. The rs25531 variant among a long allele (long-A and long-G) of 5HTTLPR was not genotyped. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the direct effect from 5HTTLPR and child abuse history, an interaction between the 5HTTLPR gene and child abuse history influenced psychiatric profiles of depressed inpatients. Contrary to the widely recognized "reactivity" associated with the short allele, our patients with the l/l genotype and child abuse history showed significantly severer psychiatric pathology than short carriers with child abuse history.

Language: en