Alcohol-Dependent Patients Attempting and not Attempting Suicide: a Comparison

A consecutive series of 377 alcohol-dependent patients were studied. Of the 377, 89 had histories of attempted suicide. 34 of the 80 female alcohol-dependent patients & 55 of 297 male alcohol-dependent patients had attempted suicide. A greater proportion of the suicide attempters than of the non-attempters met DSM-IV criteria for another psychiatric disorder. The difference of total cholesterol levels between female & male attempters & non-attempters was statistically significant. (40 refs)