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Suicide risk higher in evening among individuals with alcohol dependence

Alcohol consumption was associated with greater risk for suicides and a peak incidence of suicide that occurred later in the evening among individuals with alcohol dependence, according to data presented at the SLEEP 2016 annual meeting.

To assess the circadian pattern of suicides in individuals with alcohol dependence, researchers analyzed archival data of suicides from the National Violent Death Reporting System for 2003 to 2010 among individuals with alcohol dependence and available blood alcohol level data (n = 3,722).

Alcohol was consumed by 73.4% of individuals prior to committing suicide, indicated by a mean blood alcohol concentration of 179 ± 101 mg/dL.

Overall, peak suicide incidence was at 1 p.m. (4%) and the lowest incidence was at 6 a.m. (2.6%).

Across each hour of the day, suicide incidence rates were higher among individuals with higher blood alcohol levels, compared with those with lower levels (P < .001).

Individuals with higher blood alcohol levels had an acute spike in suicide incidence at 1 p.m. (3.5%) which then gradually increased throughout the day to a peak incidence at 9 p.m. (6.4%) and decreased to lowest incidence at 7 a.m. (2.6%).

Individuals with lower blood alcohol levels had a peak suicide incidence at 1 p.m. (6.2%) and lowest incidence at 5 a.m. (2.7%).

Analysis of 6-hour blocks indicated suicide frequency was higher in the evening hours than expected by chance (P < .001), according to researchers.

“The presence of temporal pattern in the incidence of suicides will help us understand the phenomenon from a clinical and a research viewpoint,” study researcher Subhajit Chakravorty, MD, of the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, said in a press release. “From a clinical perspective, the results will help us identify patients at higher risk of completing suicide and to allocate our limited resources more efficiently. From a research perspective, future studies should explore the underlying mechanisms of how and why different alcohol doses interact with the time of day and other clinical factors to increase the risk of suicide.” – by Amanda Oldt

Reference:

Chakravorty S, et al. The circadian pattern of suicides in intoxicated individuals with alcohol dependence. Presented at: SLEEP Annual Meeting 2016; June 11-15; Denver.

Disclosure: This study was supported by the following grants: VA grant 1K2-CX000855 (SC), NIH K24 AA013736 (HRK), NIH K23 HL110216, NIH R21ES022931 (MAG) and NIH R01AG041783 (MLP).