Efficacy of psychotropic medications on suicide and self-injury: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide: Synopsis of the 2024 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines

DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) updated the 2019 joint clinical practice guideline (CPG) for assessing and managing patients who are at risk for suicide. This synopsis provides primary care physicians with a summary of the updated 2024 recommendations regarding evaluation and management of military members and veterans at risk for suicide.

METHODS

In 2023, the VA/DOD Evidence-Based Practice Work Group convened to develop a joint VA/DOD guideline, including clinical stakeholders, which conformed to the National Academy of Medicine's tenets for trustworthy CPGs. The Work Group drafted 12 key questions, reviewed systematically identified literature (1 April 2018 to 15 March 2023), evaluated the evidence, created algorithms, and advanced 24 recommendations in accordance with the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Despite insufficient evidence to recommend for or against suicide risk screening programs as a means for reducing suicide attempts or deaths, the VA/DOD Work Group identified validated tools that could be used to identify populations at higher risk for suicide-related behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy was also recommended for reducing the risk for suicide attempts and decreasing suicidal ideation among those with a history of suicidal behavior or a history of self-directed violence. Periodic communications after previous suicide attempts were also recommended as a prevention strategy. Pharmacologic treatments, such as clozapine or ketamine infusion, also have a role in the management of suicide risk among those with schizophrenia or major depressive disorder, respectively.

Development of a Clinical Guideline for Suicide Prevention in Psychiatric Patients Based on the ADAPTE Methodology

OBJECTIVE

Suicide is a significant public health issue, with South Korea having the highest suicide rate among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. This study aimed to develop clinical guidelines for suicide prevention in psychiatric patients in Korea using the ADAPTE methodology.

METHODS

The development process involved a comprehensive review of literature, expert consultations, and consensus-building using the Nominal Group Technique and Delphi method. The guidelines focus on evidence-based psychiatric treatments, including both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, tailored to the Korean context. Key findings underscoring the need for standardized treatment protocols for patients with major psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia.

RESULTS

The guidelines incorporate treatments like lithium, clozapine, atypical antipsychotics, electroconvulsive therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy, which have shown effectiveness in suicide prevention. Applicability and acceptability within Korea's healthcare system were addressed, ensuring feasibility given the country's medical insurance coverage and accessibility. The guidelines were validated through expert reviews and Delphi rounds, achieving consensus on the final recommendations.

CONCLUSION

The developed guidelines provide a structured, evidence-based approach to reducing suicide rates among psychiatric patients in Korea. Future research will focus on expanding these guidelines to include screening protocols for high-risk groups.

The use of CAMS and DBT to effectively treat patients who are suicidal

Around the world, suicide ideation, attempts, and deaths pose a major public and mental health challenge for patients (and their loved ones). Accordingly, there is a clear need for effective clinical treatments that reliably reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In this article, we review the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), two clinical treatments that rise to the highest levels of empirical rigor. Both CAMS and DBT are now supported by randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with independent replications, and meta-analyses. There are also supportive data related to training clinical providers to use CAMS and DBT with adherence. RCTs that investigate the use of both interventions within clinical trial research designs and the increasing use of these complementary approaches within routine clinical practice are discussed. Future directions for research and clinical use of CAMS and DBT are explored as means to effectively treat suicidal risk.

A meta-analysis of the effects of ketamine on suicidal ideation in depression patients

The treatment of suicidal ideation in patients with depression has been a major problem faced by psychiatric and emergency departments, and reasonable drug selection is particularly important. Ketamine has been shown to reduce suicidal ideation rapidly, but the strength of the effect is unclear and there is little evidence-based medical evidence to support this. We systematically searched all articles published on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI and EMBASE. Stata 15 and R 4.1.3 were used for meta-analysis, and odds ratios were calculated in fixed effects or random effects models based on the heterogeneity test results. Our search resulted in 505 articles; we analyzed 14 studies, which included 1,380 participants. The 14 studies included 10 randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies and 4 single-arm studies. Our study suggests that, ketamine has a significant therapeutic effect on suicidal ideation throughout the treatment cycle. We performed network meta-analyses(NMA) and pairwise meta-analyses to compare the efficacy of ketamine in the reduction of suicidal ideation. There was a significant reduction in suicidal ideation within the first day after treatment (NMA ketamine day1 RR = 10.02, 95%CI = 4.24 to 23.68). In repeated treatment, the degree of recovery of suicidal ideation after the last dose was significantly greater than that after the first dose (RR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.51 to 0.62). Recovery of suicidal ideation was also significantly better in the treatment end point than in the placebo group at the same time point (NMA ketamine day26 RR = 4.29, 95%CI = 1.41 to 13.08). This is the first network meta-analysis to demonstrate the role of ketamine in the alleviation of suicidal ideation. Our network meta-analysis also compared the effects of different drugs at different time points, which was not done in previous studies. This is of great reference significance for future drug research andrational drug use.

Identifying unique subgroups in suicide risks among psychiatric outpatients

BACKGROUND

The presence of psychiatric disorders is widely recognized as one of the primary risk factors for suicide. A significant proportion of individuals receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment exhibit varying degrees of suicidal behaviors, which may range from mild suicidal ideations to overt suicide attempts. This study aims to elucidate the transdiagnostic symptom dimensions and associated suicidal features among psychiatric outpatients.

METHODS

The study enrolled patients who attended the psychiatry outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital in South Korea (n = 1, 849, age range = 18-81; 61% women). A data-driven classification methodology was employed, incorporating a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms, to delineate distinctive subgroups among psychiatric outpatients exhibiting suicidality (n = 1189). A reference group of patients without suicidality (n = 660) was included for comparative purposes to ascertain cluster-specific sociodemographic, suicide-related, and psychiatric characteristics.

RESULTS

Psychiatric outpatients with suicidality (n = 1189) were subdivided into three distinctive clusters: the low-suicide risk cluster (Cluster 1), the high-suicide risk externalizing cluster (Cluster 2), and the high-suicide risk internalizing cluster (Cluster 3). Relative to the reference group (n = 660), each cluster exhibited distinct attributes pertaining to suicide-related characteristics and clinical symptoms, covering domains such as anxiety, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, and feelings of hopelessness. Cluster 1, identified as the low-suicide risk group, exhibited less frequent suicidal ideation, planning, and multiple attempts. In the high-suicide risk groups, Cluster 2 displayed pronounced externalizing symptoms, whereas Cluster 3 was primarily defined by internalizing and hopelessness symptoms. Bipolar disorders were most common in Cluster 2, while depressive disorders were predominant in Cluster 3.

DISCUSSION

Our findings suggest the possibility of differentiating psychiatric outpatients into distinct, clinically relevant subgroups predicated on their suicide risk. This research potentially paves the way for personalizing interventions and preventive strategies that address cluster-specific characteristics, thereby mitigating suicide-related mortality among psychiatric outpatients.

Risk factors of reattempt among suicide attempters in South Korea: A nationwide retrospective cohort study

This study aimed to identify underlying demographic and clinical characteristics among individuals who had previously attempted suicide, utilizing the comprehensive Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database. Data of patients aged 18 and above who had attempted suicide between January 1 and December 31, 2014, recorded in HIRA, were extracted. The index date was identified when a suicide attempt was made within the year 2014. The medical history of the three years before the index date and seven years of follow-up data after the index date were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier estimate was used to infer reattempt of the suicide attempters, and Cox-proportional hazard analysis was used to investigate risk factors associated with suicide reattempts. A total of 17,026 suicide attempters were identified, of which 1,853 (10.9%) reattempted suicide; 4,925 (28.9%) patients had been diagnosed with depressive disorder. Of the reattempters, 391 (21.1%) demonstrated a history of suicide attempts in the three years before the index date, and the mean number of prior attempts was higher compared to that of the non-reattempters (1.7 vs.1.3, p-value < 0.01). Prior psychiatric medication, polypharmacy, and an increase in the number of psychotropics were associated with suicide reattempt in overall suicide attempters. (Hazard ratio (HR) = 3.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.56-4.00; HR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.87-3.14; HR = 19.66, 95% CI = 15.22-25.39 respectively). The risk of reattempt decreased in individuals receiving antidepressant prescriptions compared to those unmedicated, showing a reduction of 78% when prescribed by non-psychiatrists and 89% when prescribed by psychiatrists. Similar risk factors for suicide reattempts were observed in the depressive disorder subgroup, but the median time to reattempt was shorter (556.5 days) for this group compared to that for the overall attempters (578 days). Various risk factors including demographics, clinical characteristics, and medications should be considered to prevent suicide reattempts among suicide attempters, and patients with depressive disorder should be monitored more closely.

Genetic signatures of suicide attempt behavior: insights and applications

INTRODUCTION

Every year about 800,000 complete suicide events occur. The identification of biologic markers to identify subjects at risk would be helpful in targeting specific support treatments.

AREA COVERED

A narrative review defines the meta-analytic level of current evidence about the biologic markers of suicide behavior (SB). The meta-analytic evidence gathered so far indicates that the hypothesis-driven research largely failed to identify the biologic markers of suicide. The most consistent and replicated result was reported for: 1) 5-HTR2A T102C, associated with SB in patients with schizophrenia (OR = 1.73 (1.11-2.69)) and 2) BDNF Val66Met (rs6265), with the Met-Val + Val-Val carriers found to be at risk for suicide in the Caucasian population (OR: 1.96 (1.58-2.43)), while Val-Val vs. Val-Met + Met carriers found to be at risk for suicide in the Asian populations (OR: 1.36 (1.04-1.78)). GWAS-based meta-analyses indicate some positive replicated findings regarding the DRD2, Neuroligin gene, estrogen-related genes, and genes involved in gene expression.

EXPERT OPINION

Most consistent results were obtained when analyzing sub-samples of patients. Some promising results come from the implementation of the polygenic risk score. There is no current consensus about an implementable biomarker for SB.

Baseline cognitive function predicts full remission of suicidal symptoms among patients with treatment-resistant depression and strong suicidal ideation after low-dose ketamine infusion

BACKGROUND

Whether pretreatment working memory and response inhibition function are associated with the rapid and sustained antisuicidal effect of low-dose ketamine among patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and strong suicidal ideation is unclear.

METHODS

We enrolled 65 patients with TRD, comprising 33 who received a single infusion of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine and 32 who received a placebo infusion. The participants performed working memory and go/no-go tasks prior to infusion. We assessed suicidal symptoms at baseline and on postinfusion Days 2, 3, 5, and 7.

RESULTS

The full remission of suicidal symptoms persisted for 3 days after a single ketamine infusion and the ketamine-related antisuicidal effect persisted for 1 week. Lower cognitive impairment at baseline (indicated by a higher rate of correct responses on a working memory task) was associated with the rapid and sustained antisuicidal effect of low-dose ketamine in patients with TRD and strong suicidal ideation.

DISCUSSION

Patients with TRD and strong suicidal ideation but low cognitive impairment may benefit the most from the antisuicidal effect of low-dose ketamine.

Suicidality in a psychiatric inpatient unit: a 2-year retrospective study in Umbria, central Italy

Suicide ranks among the 10 leading causes of death worldwide; in Italy, almost 4000 persons per year die by suicide. Studies focusing on suicidality in Italian inpatient samples before the COVID-19 pandemic are scant. We, thus, aimed to define sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with suicidal ideation (SI) and deliberate self-harm (DSH) in a sample of inpatients admitted to a Psychiatric Inpatient Unit. This retrospective study was conducted in the Psychiatric Inpatient Unit of the Perugia Hospital, from January 2018 to December 2019. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including diagnostic and treatment features, were collected from the medical records of subjects admitted for suicidality-related phenomena, namely DSH and SI. The prevalence of suicidality-related phenomena in the sample ( n = 850) was 14.12% (n=120) and was mainly due to DSH ( n = 84; 70%). Subjects hospitalized due to these conditions were more frequently females, separated, and displayed a higher prevalence of personality disorders, especially borderline personality disorder. People in the suicidality-related phenomena subgroup were more often committed involuntarily and reported multiple hospitalizations less frequently than other inpatients. They were receiving community treatment in a higher percentage of cases, and lithium was prescribed more frequently than among inpatients who were hospitalized for reasons other than suicidality. Our study provides a further characterization of psychiatric inpatients who experience SI or perform DSH. Targeted treatment strategies should be considered for subjects suffering from personality disorders who experience suicidality-related phenomena.

The phantasm of zero suicide

Governments and non-governmental organisations are increasingly adopting a 'zero-suicide' goal, but what such a goal precisely involves is unclear. Ostensibly it strongly prioritises the prevention and elimination of all suicide. We argue that, so understood, a societal goal of zero suicide risks contravening several ethical principles. In terms of beneficence and non-maleficence, a 'zero-suicide' goal risks being inefficient and may burden or harm many people. Autonomy-wise, a blanket ban on all suicide is excessive. As regards social justice, zero suicide risks focusing on the symptoms of social malaise instead of the structures causing it. With respect to transparency, a 'zero' goal that cannot be met makes these authorities look detached and risks frustration, distrust and, worse, stigmatisation of suicide and of mental health conditions. Instead, we propose a middle path for suicide prevention, founded on harm reduction, 'soft group paternalism' and efforts directed at increased quality of life for disadvantaged groups. Although soft group paternalism respects autonomy, this approach permits coercive interferences in certain circumstances. We hope that the justificatory framework tying together these largely familiar elements is novel and sensible.