Could increased social cohesion through shared experience mitigate the impact of pandemics on suicide rates? Here, the authors explore the impact of the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic on suicide rates and discuss their findings in the context of COVID-19.
Vilazodone is a novel dual-acting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor approved for treatment of adult depressive disorders. Here, read about a case of serotonin syndrome in a young woman with suicidal vilazodone overdose with no coingestion.
Suicide rates are increasing, but understanding of its predictors is incomplete, especially regarding self-perceived financial well-being. This study assessed the association between debt burden and self-reported suicide attempt among US adults.
The link between suicidality and interpersonal difficulties extends the traditional approach of comprehending suicide as mainly related to depression. This study of adult outpatients investigated the link between separation anxiety disorder and suicidality.
Because of COVID-19, much behavioral health care is now delivered virtually. Is this as effective as in-person treatment? Read the article to learn more.
Does suicide risk shortly after discharge from psychiatric hospitalization differ from risk thereafter? This study compared risk factors for suicide in US veterans in the first 90 days after discharge to those during the remainder of the year.
Incidents involving both a homicide and a suicide are rare and vary widely in terms of motive and circumstances. Read this study to learn about 8 classifications of homicide-suicides the authors developed using a large database.
Levels of several fatty acids (FAs) have been linked to suicidal behavior, though research has mainly focused on individual FAs. This study used latent class cluster analysis to identify groupings of FAs that may affect likelihood of suicidal behavior.
Understanding risk factors for suicidal behavior is crucial for the development of effective prevention plans. Do anxiety disorders or alcohol use disorder play a role? Learn more in this CME activity.
In this commentary, the author describes factors associated with suicide among doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides possible interventions.
Baclofen, a French Exception, Seriously Harms Alcohol Use Disorder Patients Without Benefit
To the Editor: Dr Andrade’s analysis of the Bacloville trial in a recent Clinical and Practical Psychopharmacology column, in which he concluded that “individualized treatment with high-dose baclofen (30-300 mg/d) may be a useful second-line approach in heavy drinkers” and that “baclofen may be particularly useful in patients with liver disease,” deserves comment.1
First, Andrade failed to recall that the first pivotal trial of baclofen, ALPADIR (NCT01738282; 320 patients, as with Bacloville), was negative (see Braillon et al2).
Second, Dr Andrade should have warned readers that Bacloville’s results are most questionable, lacking robustness. Although he cited us,3 he overlooked the evidence we provided indicating that the Bacloville article4 was published without acknowledging major changes to the initial protocol, affecting the primary outcome. Coincidentally (although as skeptics, we do not believe in coincidence), the initial statistical team was changed when data were sold to the French pharmaceutical company applying for the marketing authorization in France. As Ronald H. Coase warned, “If you torture the data long enough, it will confess.”
MY ACCOUNT