Hyperthyroidism and Suicide: a Retrospective Cohort Study in Sweden

This study examined whether a history of hyperthyroidism implies an increased risk of suicide. A historic cohort study of 43,633 patients treated with radioiodine or surgery between 1950-2005 was done. Two comparison cohorts consisted of 44,921 patients with an operation for atoxic nodular goitre between 1964-2005 & 354,861 patients with a cholecystectomy between 1965-2001. The number of observed suicides was 134 in the study cohort. A naive comparison with a matched general Sweish population yielded a moderately increased standardized mortality ratio but stratifications revealed that the excess was mainly driven by women from Stockholm. The study did not confirm an increased risk of suicide among patients treated for hyperthyroidism. (17 refs.)