Multiple biomarkers improve accuracy for predicting suicidal behaviour in depressive disorders

The application of multiple serum biomarkers appears to facilitate better prediction of suicidal behaviour in outpatients receiving treatment for depressive disorders, a study has found.

The study included 1,094 patients with depressive disorders without a bipolar diagnosis. All patients were enrolled in a 12-month pharmacotherapy program.

Researchers evaluated the utility of a panel of 14 serum biomarkers at baseline in predicting suicidal behaviour outcomes, such as increased suicidal severity and fatal/nonfatal suicide attempt, in the cohort. They also looked at the patients’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including previous suicidal attempt and present suicidal severity.

Of the patients, 884 were followed for 12 months for the outcomes. A total of 155 patients (17.5 percent) showed increased suicidal severity and 38 (4.3 percent) had a fatal/nonfatal suicide attempt.

Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that combined cortisol, total cholesterol, and folate serum biomarkers best predicted fatal/nonfatal suicide attempt (p<0.001). Meanwhile, the same biomarkers, in addition to interleukin-1 beta and homocysteine, had the best performance for predicting increased suicidal severity (p<0.001).

The findings underscore the potential utility of multiple serum biomarkers as an objective method for identifying patients being treated for depressive disorders with suicidal ideation and at risk of a suicide attempt. As such, more frequent monitoring and risk appraisal of these patients are needed.