TY - JOUR
T1 - Decreased aldosterone in the plasma of suicide attempters with major depressive disorder.
AU - Hallberg, Ludvig
AU - Westrin, Åsa
AU - Isaksson, Anders
AU - Janelidze, Shorena
AU - Träskman Bendz, Lil
AU - Brundin, Lena
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Hormones and neurobiological factors may be regulated differently in suicidal versus non-suicidal depressive patients. There is currently limited knowledge about the relation of substances in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system to depression and suicidality. We therefore investigated whether plasma levels of renin and aldosterone differ between suicide attempters, non-suicidal depressive patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, we analyzed the relation of renin and aldosterone to psychiatric symptoms in the patients. Suicidal patients with MDD, adjustment disorder and dysthymia, as well as two control groups consisting of non-suicidal MDD patients and healthy subjects, were rated using the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS), including the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Brief Scale for Anxiety (BSA). Plasma samples were frozen immediately after collection and stored at -80 degrees C for 5-18years. Aldosterone and renin levels were analyzed using radioactive- and chemiluminescent immunoassays. We found that suicide attempters with MDD had significantly lower plasma levels of aldosterone than the other patient groups, as well as than the healthy controls. Moreover, increasing severity of psychiatric symptoms was associated with lower aldosterone levels in the suicide attempters with MDD. Non-suicidal patients with MDD did not differ significantly compared to healthy controls with respect to aldosterone and renin levels. These findings may indicate that low aldosterone levels could be a marker of suicidality in patients with MDD.
AB - Hormones and neurobiological factors may be regulated differently in suicidal versus non-suicidal depressive patients. There is currently limited knowledge about the relation of substances in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system to depression and suicidality. We therefore investigated whether plasma levels of renin and aldosterone differ between suicide attempters, non-suicidal depressive patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, we analyzed the relation of renin and aldosterone to psychiatric symptoms in the patients. Suicidal patients with MDD, adjustment disorder and dysthymia, as well as two control groups consisting of non-suicidal MDD patients and healthy subjects, were rated using the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS), including the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Brief Scale for Anxiety (BSA). Plasma samples were frozen immediately after collection and stored at -80 degrees C for 5-18years. Aldosterone and renin levels were analyzed using radioactive- and chemiluminescent immunoassays. We found that suicide attempters with MDD had significantly lower plasma levels of aldosterone than the other patient groups, as well as than the healthy controls. Moreover, increasing severity of psychiatric symptoms was associated with lower aldosterone levels in the suicide attempters with MDD. Non-suicidal patients with MDD did not differ significantly compared to healthy controls with respect to aldosterone and renin levels. These findings may indicate that low aldosterone levels could be a marker of suicidality in patients with MDD.
U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2010.07.038
DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2010.07.038
M3 - Article
C2 - 20797799
SN - 1872-7123
VL - 187
SP - 135
EP - 139
JO - Psychiatry Research
JF - Psychiatry Research
ER -