TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Alexithymia, suicide ideation, c-reactive protein and serum lipid levels among outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder
JO  - Archives of suicide research
A1  - De Berardis, Domenico
A1  - Serroni, Nicola
A1  - Campanella, Daniela
A1  - Marini, Stefano
A1  - Rapini, Gabriella
A1  - Valchera, Alessandro
A1  - Iasevoli, Felice
A1  - Mazza, Monica
A1  - Fornaro, Michele
A1  - Perna, Giampaolo
A1  - Di Iorio, Giuseppe
A1  - Martinotti, Giovanni
A1  - di Giannantonio, Massimo
SP  - 100
EP  - 112
VL  - 21
IS  - 1
N2  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between alexithymia, suicide ideation, C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and serum lipid levels in adult outpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). <br><br>METHOD: Seventy consecutive patients with GAD were recruited and evaluated. Measures were the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Scale of Suicide Ideation (SSI) and the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). All patients were assessed for: CRP, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceridaemia (TG) and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C). TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were also evaluated. <br><br>RESULTS: Alexithymic patients showed higher scores on almost all rating scales and altered serum CRP and lipid levels vs. non-alexithymics. In the hierarchical regression model, the presence of higher MADRS scores together with higher scores at the Difficulty in Identifying Feelings dimension of TAS-20 were associated with higher rates of suicide ideation. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Although alexithymic subjects with GAD may show a CRP and cholesterol dysregulation, this latter seems independent on increased suicide ideation, rather to Difficulty in Identifying Feelings and subthreshold depressive symptoms. Study limitations and future research implications have been discussed.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1381-1118
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2015.1004485
ID  - ref1
ER  -