Suicide Risk Factors in Iranian Patients With Bipolar Disorder: A 21-Month Follow-Up From BDPF Study

Objective: Bipolar disorder is strongly associated with suicidal ideations, attempts and commissions. Although several studies have been conducted on suicide risk factors in patients with bipolar disorder worldwide, a comprehensive study has not been reported from Iran. Methods: Patients with bipolar disorder type I, hospitalized in Iran Hospital of Psychiatry since May 2008 to August 2011 were sequentially enrolled. Patients were evaluated using Demographic and Clinical Variables Questionnaire, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders (SCID-I), Young-Mania Rating Scale (Y-MRS), and Hamilton Depressive Rating Scale-7 (HDRS-7). One hundred patients were followed for 2 to 42 months (mean: 20.6 +/- 12.5 months). Results: Only one patient attempted suicide during the follow-up period. 33% of the patients had history of previous suicide attempts. Female gender, divorce, and early age at onset of the disease were independently correlated with suicide attempt. Conclusion: Suicide attempts rarely occur during systematic follow-up of patients with bipolar disorder type I. Larger samples and longer follow-ups are needed to confirm this finding.