Association of cholesterol and socio-demographic parameters with suicidality in the male patients with schizophrenia.

Suicidal behavior is a major health risk in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum cholesterol concentrations and some socio-demographic parameters in suicidal and non-suicidal men suffering from schizophrenia. Results of this study show that there were no differences in socio-demographic parameters between suicidal and non-suicidal schizophrenic patients but there was a difference in the level of cholesterol (lower in suicidal patients). Duration of untreated psychosis was higher in suicidal patients, which could means that suicidality is a process determined by many different factors including time of treatment. Suicidal patients in our study have been more seriously ill than non-suicidal (had higher scores on PANNS and HDRS-17) and we explained these findings by the fact of damage associated to higher time of non-treatment. Our results show that cholesterol has an important role in distinguishing suicidal from non-suicidal patients, which, if confirmed on a higher number of patients and in more studies, may be of considerable clinical significance. Clinical management of suicidal states is based on integrative approach and includes ensuring immediate safety, the use of psychosocial techniques to address depression and psychosocial stressors, and targeted pharmacotherapy for psychotic and depressive symptoms.