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Abstract:
Objective. Patients with both major depression and personality disorders
have a high risk of suicidal behavior. Lithium is meant to have
anti-suicidal properties in patients with affective disorders. The
anti-suicidal effect of lithium in patients with affective disorders and
comorbid personality disorders has not been investigated yet. Methods. A
post-hoc analysis of a subsample of patients with depression and
comorbid personality disorder (PD) and a recent suicide attempt (n = 19)
from the prospective, placebo-controlled lithium intervention study (N =
167), was conducted. Results. Three patients in the lithium group (n =
8) and two patients in the placebo group (n = 11) presented a suicide
attempt throughout the course of the study. No differences related to
suicidal behavior could be detected between the placebo group and the
group with lithium intervention. Conclusions. On the basis of the small
sample size, among patients with comorbid PD, lithium does not seem to
have an effect on suicidal behavior in contrast to patients with
affective disorders without comorbid PD.
