Inverse association between serum albumin and depressive symptoms among drug-free individuals with a recent suicide attempt

Abstract

Background and aim: Albumin is a protein with multifaceted functions in the human body. According to many studies, lower serum albumin may be associated with depression in various groups of psychiatric and non-psychiatric patients, as well as with attempted suicide. As more severe depressive symptoms have been identified as a reliable risk factor for suicide in patients with high suicide risk, it would be of interest to study whether, the inverse association between depressive symptoms and albumin may exist among patients with attempted suicide. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the possible association between albumin and depressive symptoms among individuals who recently attempted suicide.Methods: One-hundred twenty-seven individuals with a recent suicide attempt were involved in the study between 1987 and 2001. Albumin was analyzed in serum. Patients were evaluated with the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) from which the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the item assessing Apparent sadness were derived.Results: Only among patients aged ≥45, serum albumin levels were significantly and negatively correlated with total scores of MADRS and the item Apparent sadness (all p values <.00625).Conclusions: Our findings indicate an inverse association between serum albumin and the severity of depressive symptoms in individuals who attempted suicide, older than 45 years.