The relationships of current suicidal ideation with inflammatory markers and heart rate variability in unmedicated patients with major depressive disorder
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Abstract
Studies investigating inflammatory status and autonomic functioning simultaneously
in depressed patients with current suicidal ideation (SI) are lacking. We recruited
58 unmedicated depressed patients with current SI but without lifetime history of
suicidal behavior, as well as 61 equally depressed patients without lifetime history
of SI or suicidal behavior. We measured serum cortisol, high-sensitivity C-reactive
protein (hs-CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and autonomic functioning
evaluated by frequency-domain measures of heart rate variability (HRV). The intensity
of current SI was rated with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Chronic psychological
stress was assessed using the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).
Patients with current SI showed higher hs-CRP and ESR but lower variance (total HRV),
low frequency (LF), and high frequency (HF) HRV than those without lifetime history
of SI. We found no differences in cortisol levels and PSS scores. The intensity of
current SI was negatively correlated with variance, LF, and HF but positively correlated
with hs-CRP. Our results help improve the understanding of the relationships among
current SI, inflammation, and autonomic functioning in depressed patients. The combined
use of inflammatory markers and HRV indices may one day be applied in predicting and
monitoring patients' suicide risk.