Correlates of Suicide-Related Ideations and Attempts in Patients with Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder.

Abstract

Introduction: Acute and transient psychotic disorder (ATPD) is a brief, self-limiting psychiatric disorder commonly seen in developing countries. This condition is associated with an elevated risk of suicide, but data on this association are lacking in developing countries.

Methodology: Consecutive outpatients with a diagnosis ATPD as per ICD-10 criteria (n=29) were recruited over a period of six months (February-July 2014) and retrospectively assessed for suicide-related ideations and attempts and their correlates both during and in between episodes of their illness.

Results: A total of 16 patients (55.17%) experienced suicide-related ideations, which occurred during a psychotic episode in 14 patients. Six patients (20.69%) made suicide attempts. A later age of onset was significantly associated with suicidality (p=0.04), as was a family history of depression or related ("spectrum") conditions (p<0.01). A relationship with higher educational status, reported in an earlier study, was not replicated in our sample.

Conclusions: Suicide-related ideation and suicide attempts are common in ATPD, and may be linked to a later onset and a genetic loading for depression-related conditions.