BMJ 1995;311:807 (23 September)

Letters

Serum cholesterol concentrations in parasuicide

Depression may cause low cholesterol

EDITOR,--Massimo Gallerani and colleagues report low serum cholesterol concentrations in people who attempt suicide.1 Their findings are consistent with those of our systematic review of the possible hazards of lowering serum cholesterol.2 The question is whether the association arises because a low serum cholesterol concentration causes depression and so causes suicide or because a low serum cholesterol concentration is a consequence of depression since depressed people eat less on average and this will reduce their cholesterol concentration. The evidence indicates that the latter is the case.

Effective treatment of depression leads to an increase in serum cholesterol concentration.3 Recent large randomised trials of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, which achieve large reductions (about 25%) in serum cholesterol, have established that lowering cholesterol does not lead to depression4 or increased mortality from accidents and suicide.4 5 Earlier trials, which lowered serum cholesterol by about 10%, are also . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Serum cholesterol concentraions in parasuicide
Massimo Gallerani, Roberto Manfredini, Stefano Caaracciolo, Chiara Scapoli, Sergio Molinari, and Carmelo Fersini
BMJ 1995 310: 1632-1639. [Abstract] [Full Text]

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