Suicide Attempts in Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa
Author Information
Author(s): Guillaume Sébastien, Jaussent Isabelle, Olié Emilie, Genty Catherine, Bringer Jacques, Courtet Philippe, Schmidt Ulrike
Primary Institution: Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France
Hypothesis
Anorexia nervosa patients will show more severe suicide attempts than those with bulimia nervosa and non-eating disordered attempters.
Conclusion
Anorexia nervosa patients have more serious suicide attempts, which may explain their higher suicide rates.
Supporting Evidence
- AN patients were more likely to have made a serious attempt.
- AN patients had a higher expectation of dying from their attempts.
- Clinical markers of eating disorder severity were linked to the seriousness of attempts.
Takeaway
People with anorexia nervosa are more likely to try to kill themselves in a serious way compared to those with bulimia or no eating disorders.
Methodology
Case-control study comparing suicide attempters with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and non-eating disorder attempters.
Potential Biases
Potential recall bias in assessing past suicide attempts.
Limitations
Did not assess BMI at the time of suicide attempts and only included patients admitted to a specialized unit.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 18-75, French-speaking, and had Western European ancestry.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.4–7.9 for serious attempts in AN
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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