The Association Between Sleep Apnea and Suicidal Thought and Behavior: An Analysis of National Survey Data

When Night Falls Fast: Sleep and Suicidal Behavior Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Sleep disturbances have been linked to suicidal ideation and behaviors in adolescents. Specifically, insomnia and nightmares are associated with current suicide risk and predict future ideation. Associations between hypersomnia, sleep apnea, and suicide remain inconclusive. Potential biological mechanisms underlying these relationships include executive functioning deficits and hyperarousal. Related psychological factors may include thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and negative appraisals. Assessing suicide risk in patients with sleep disturbances, and vice versa, is needed. Therapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia and imagery rehearsal treatment, as well as pharmacologic treatments, show promise in treating sleep disorders and suicidal behavior.

Associations between insomnia medications and risk of death by suicide

PURPOSE

Insomnia is a modifiable risk factor for suicide often treated with medications. However, little is known about the associations between insomnia medications and risk of death by suicide. The purpose of this study is to model the comparative risk of suicide by each insomnia medication compared to zolpidem, a sedative-hypnotic approved for insomnia.

METHODS

First prescription fills of medications commonly used to treat insomnia were identified in electronic medical records. Date and cause of death were identified in death certificates. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze time from insomnia prescription to suicide.

RESULTS

More than 2 million patients filled a new insomnia prescription between 2005 and 2015, and 518 of them died by suicide within 12 months. Compared to zolpidem, the tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, doxepin) were associated with a 64% lower risk of suicide (HR 0.36 (95% CI 0.22-0.66) and the sedating antihistamines (hydroxyzine, diphenhydramine) a 40% lower risk of suicide (HR 0.60 (0.41-0.89)). In contrast, the tetracyclic antidepressant (mirtazapine) was associated with a 62% higher risk of suicide (HR 1.62 (95% CI 1.10-2.38) compared to zolpidem.

CONCLUSION

Insomnia is a modifiable risk factor for suicide, yet many medications used to treat insomnia have never been tested for the indication in clinical trials. To define efficacy in the prevention of suicide, trials are warranted.

Risk of suicide after a diagnosis of sleep apnea: A nationwide longitudinal study

Previous studies have presented evidence on the association between sleep apnea and suicidal ideation and planning, but the relationship between a clinical diagnosis of sleep apnea and suicide attempts remains unknown. We investigated the risk of suicide after a diagnosis with sleep apnea using data from a nationwide community-based population database, i.e., the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We recruited 7,095 adults with sleep apnea and 28,380 age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched controls between 1998 and 2010 and followed them up until the end of 2011. Individuals who exhibited any (once or repeated) suicide attempts were identified during the follow-up period. The E value was calculated for unmeasured bias. Sensitivity analysis was conducted. Patients with sleep apnea were more likely to carry out any suicide attempt (hazard ratio: 4.53; 95% confidence interval: 3.48-5.88) during the follow-up period than the controls after adjusting for demographic data, mental disorders, and physical comorbidities. The hazard ratio remained significant after excluding individuals with mental disorders (4.23; 3.03-5.92). The hazard ratio was 4.82 (3.55-6.56) for male patients and 3.86 (2.33-6.38) for female patients. Consistent findings of increased risk of repeated suicide attempt were found among patients with sleep apnea. No association was found between continuous positive airway pressure treatment and suicide risk. The calculated E values support suicide risk after the diagnosis of sleep apnea. The risk of suicide was 4.53-fold higher in patients diagnosed with sleep apnea than in their counterparts without sleep apnea.

Insomnia and treatment-resistant depression

Depression and sleep disturbance are related closely with bidirectional relationship. The heterogenic diagnostic criteria of major depressive disorder composed by the myriad combination of symptoms including sleep disturbance. Insomnia is an identifiable risk factor for depression and the treatment of insomnia might be able to prevent subsequent major depressive episodes which draws psychiatrists' attention to the interface of psychiatry and sleep medicine field. It is important to identify occult sleep disturbance in patients with treatment-resistant depression to improve treatment outcome. New tools to objectively measure sleep at home environment represent a great march in clinical care and research modalities but need further validation before they can be applying widespread at sleep and depression intersection. Careful evaluation and measurement of the phenotype and nature of sleep disturbance will continue to advance understanding of the biological bases of psychiatric disorders and the connections with sleep.

Sleep disturbance and suicide risk among sexual and gender minority people

Sleep disturbance has emerged as an independent, mechanistic, and modifiable risk factor for suicide. Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people disproportionately experience sleep disturbance and are at higher risk of death by suicide relative to cisgender and/or heterosexual individuals. The present narrative review evaluates nascent research related to sleep disturbance and suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (STBs) among SGM populations, and discusses how experiences of minority stress may explain heightened risk among SGM people. Although there is a growing understanding of the link between sleep disturbance and STBs, most research has not been conducted in SGM populations or has not examined suicide as an outcome. Research is needed to examine whether and how aspects of sleep disturbances relate to STBs among SGM people in order to better tailor sleep treatments for SGM populations.

Sleep loss suicidal ideation: the role of trait extraversion

Background: It is known that sleep disturbance is associated with increased suicidal thinking. Moreover, completed suicides, when adjusted for the proportion of the populace that is awake at a given time, are more probable during the late night/early morning hours. Despite these concerns, no studies have examined the role of trait-like individual differences in vulnerability to suicidal ideation during sleep deprivation or insomnia. In two separate studies, we examined whether the trait of extraversion is predictive of changes in suicidal thinking following two nights of sleep deprivation and among individuals meeting the criteria for insomnia.

Methods:Study 1: Twenty-five healthy military personnel (20 males), ages 20–35 completed the NEO-PI-R Extraversion scale and the Suicidal Ideation (SUI) scale of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Participants completed 77 h of continuous sleep deprivation. After 56 h of sleep deprivation, participants completed the SUI scale a second time. We predicted a change in SUI scores from baseline extraversion. Study 2: 2,061 adults aged 18–79 (900 males) were divided into two groups based on the clinical threshold (≥ 10) on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and completed measures of extraversion and depression, including the suicide item of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9).

Results:Study 1: After controlling for the caffeine group and changes in PAI Depression, Extraversion scores were used to predict changes in SUI scores using stepwise multiple linear regression. Higher Extraversion was significantly associated with increased non-clinical suicidal ideation following sleep loss, β = 0.463, partial r = 0.512, p = 0.013. Study 2: After controlling for depression, the effect of insomnia on suicidal ideation was moderated by trait extraversion (p < 0.0001). Overall, the presence or absence of insomnia had little effect on individuals low in trait extraversion (i.e., introverts), but insomnia was associated with significantly higher suicidal ideation among high trait extraverted individuals.

Conclusions: Higher trait extraversion was associated with increased vulnerability to suicidal ideation between rested baseline and total sleep deprivation and was associated with greater suicidal ideation among those meeting criteria for clinically severe insomnia. These findings point to a potential trait-like vulnerability factor that may further our understanding of sleep disruption in the phenomenology of suicide.

Saving light, losing lives: How daylight saving time impacts deaths from suicide and substance abuse

This paper estimates the impact of Daylight Saving Time (DST) on deaths from suicide and substance abuse in the United States. Using Multiple Cause-of-Death Mortality Data from the National Vital Statistics System of the National Center for Health Statistics from 1979 to 1988, the effect is identified in two ways: a regression discontinuity design that exploits discrete time changes in the Spring and Fall; and a fixed effects model that uses a policy change and a switching mechanism that introduces random variation to DST's start and end dates. This is one of the first attempts to estimate the impact of DST on deaths due to suicide and substance abuse and the first to use either identification strategy. The results from both methods suggest that the sleep disruptions during the Spring transition cause the suicide rate to rise by 6.25 percent and the death rate from suicide and substance abuse combined to increase by 6.59 percent directly after the time change. There is no evidence for any change in these outcomes during the Fall transition. The contrasting results from Spring to Fall suggest the entire effect can be attributed to disruptions in sleep patterns rather than changes in ambient light exposure.

Association between hospital-diagnosed sleep disorders and suicide: a nationwide cohort study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Sleep disorders are related to mental disorders. Yet few studies have examined their association with suicide. We examined whether males and females diagnosed with sleep disorders had higher rates of suicide than individuals not diagnosed with sleep disorders.

METHODS

In a cohort study, nationwide data on all males and females aged over 15 years living in Denmark during 1980-2016 were analyzed. Sleep disorders were identified through diagnoses recorded during contacts to somatic hospitals. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were estimated using Poisson regression models and adjusted for covariates.

RESULTS

In all, 3 674 563 males and 3 688 164 females were included, of whom 82 223 (2.2%, mean age: 50.2 years, SD: 17.5) males and 40 003 (1.1%, mean age: 50.6 years, SD: 19.9) females had sleep disorder diagnoses. Compared with those with no sleep disorders, the adjusted IRR for suicide were 1.6 (95% CI, 1.4 to 1.7) and 2.2 (95% CI, 1.8 to 2.6) for males and females with sleep disorders, respectively. Excess rates for narcolepsy were found for males (IRR: 1.2, 95% CI, 1.0 to 1.5) and females (IRR: 3.3, 95% CI, 3.0 to 4.1), and for sleep apnea in males (IRR: 1.8, 95% CI, 1.5 to 2.2). A difference with respect to age and sex was observed (p < 0.001) between males and females. Males and females had IRR of 4.1 (95% CI, 3.1 to 5.5) and 7.0 (95% CI, 4.8 to 10.1), during the first 6 months after being diagnosed with a sleep disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep disorders were associated with higher suicide rates even after adjusting for preexisting mental disorders. Our findings suggest attention toward suicidality in patients with sleep disorders is warranted.

Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on the Risk of Injuries-A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been reported to increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents. However, only few studies have investigated the effects of OSA on overall risk injury. The aim of study is to investigate whether OSA increases the risk of overall injury. The data were collected during 2000–2015 from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 8901 individuals diagnosed with OSA were inpatients, or outpatients at least three times were enrolled. Finally, 6915 participants with OSA were included as the study cohort. We matched the study cohort with a comparison cohort, at a ratio of 1:4. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyse the association between OSA and overall injury. Patients with OSA had 83.1% increased risk of overall injury, compared to non-OSA individuals [adjusted hazards ratio (HR) = 1.831, confidence interval (CI) = 1.674–2.020, p < 0.001]. In the stratified age group, patients aged ≧65 years had the highest risk of injury (adjusted HR= 2.014; CI = 1.842–2.222, p < 0.001). Patients with OSA were at a higher risk of falls, traffic injury, poisoning, suffocation, suicide, and abuse or homicide than non-OSA individuals, with falls and traffic injury as the leading causes of injuries. The data demonstrated that patients with OSA have a higher risk of overall injury. The study results can be a reference for developing injury prevention strategies in the future. The general population and clinicians should have more awareness regarding OSA and its negative effects on injury development.

Sleep problems predict next-day suicidal thinking among adolescents: A multimodal real-time monitoring study following discharge from acute psychiatric care

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) are major public health concerns among adolescents, and research is needed to identify how risk is conferred over the short term (hours and days). Sleep problems may be associated with elevated risk for STBs, but less is known about this link in youth over short time periods. The current study utilized a multimodal real-time monitoring approach to examine the association between sleep problems (via daily sleep diary and actigraphy) and next-day suicidal thinking in 48 adolescents with a history of STBs during the month following discharge from acute psychiatric care. Results indicated that specific indices of sleep problems assessed via sleep diary (i.e., greater sleep onset latency, nightmares, ruminative thoughts before sleep) predicted next-day suicidal thinking. These effects were significant even when daily sadness and baseline depression were included in the models. Moreover, several associations between daily-level sleep problems and next-day suicidal thinking were moderated by person-level measures of the construct. In contrast, sleep indices assessed objectively (via actigraphy) were either not related to suicidal thinking or were related in the opposite direction from hypothesized. Together, these findings provide some support for sleep problems as a short-term risk factor for suicidal thinking in high-risk adolescents.

The Evolving Nexus of Sleep and Depression

Sleep disturbances and depression are closely linked and share a bidirectional relationship. These interconnections can inform the pathophysiology underlying each condition. Insomnia is an established and modifiable risk factor for depression, the treatment of which offers the critical opportunity to prevent major depressive episodes, a paradigm-shifting model for psychiatry. Identification of occult sleep disorders may also improve outcomes in treatment-resistant depression. Sleep alterations and manipulations may additionally clarify the mechanisms that underlie rapid-acting antidepressant therapies. Both sleep disturbance and depression are heterogeneous processes, and evolving standards in psychiatric research that consider the transdiagnostic components of each are more likely to lead to translational progress at their nexus. Emerging tools to objectively quantify sleep and its disturbances in the home environment offer great potential to advance clinical care and research, but nascent technologies require further advances and validation prior to widespread application at the interface of sleep and depression.

Obstructive sleep apnea and injury events in Taiwanese adults: A retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to examine the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis and diverse types of injuries.

DESIGN

This population-based retrospective cohort study compared records from 2000 to 2013 in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

METHODS

3025 patients identified with OSA were compared against the control cohort consisting of 12,100 age- and sex-matched patients. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to estimate the effects of OSA on injury risk.

FINDINGS

Patients with OSA exhibited a significantly higher overall incidence of injury of 2599 per 100,000 person-years compared to the control cohort (2248 per 100,000 person-years). After the confounding factors were considered, subjects with OSA showed a higher risk of injury than subjects in the control group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.64-1.93). The risk of unintentional injury (traffic, poisoning, falls) and intentional injury (suicide) in the group of patients with OSA was higher than that in the controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study strongly supports the conclusion that adults with OSA are at increased risk of injury.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The present results indicate the significance of OSA as a predictor of injury risk, which will provide valuable information for clinical practice and injury prevention.

Association between snoring and depressive symptoms in adolescents

While previous studies have suggested that snoring may be associated with depressive symptoms and suicidality in adults and preschool children, there have been no investigations in non-clinical adolescent populations. This study aimed to demonstrate the association between snoring and depressive symptoms/suicidality in adolescents. This survey study recruited 8530 students (grades 7-11) and examined depressive symptoms, suicidality, snoring frequency, daytime sleepiness, sleep duration, and presence of insomnia by questionnaires. Correlation analyses, multiple linear regression analyses and mediation analyses were performed to determine the association between snoring frequency and depressive symptoms/suicidality. The study population included 8080 students (16.73 ± 1.09 years old). Snoring frequency was positively correlated with depressive symptoms and suicidality. Snoring frequency was associated with depressive symptoms and suicidality when adjusted for age and sex, and the association remained significant after additionally adjusting for sleep duration, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness. When depressive symptoms were included as a predictor of suicidality, snoring frequency showed no significant predictive value. Mediation analysis confirmed that depressive symptoms mediate the association between snoring frequency and suicidality. Our findings suggest that self-reported complaints of snoring are associated with increased depressive symptoms and suicidality in adolescents independently of sleep duration, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness, and the connection between snoring and suicidality is mediated by depressive symptoms. These data underscore the importance of identifying snorers among adolescents and screening for depression and suicidal ideation in this population.

Increased Suicidality and Worse Outcomes in MDD Patients With OSA: A Nationwide Inpatient Analysis of 11 Years From 2006 to 2017

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common psychiatric disorder characterized by changes in mood, cognition, and physical symptoms. MDD has an approximate 18% prevalence of comorbid OSA. Several studies have looked into plausible mechanisms that have shown a strong relationship between OSA and MDD.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this study was to compare suicidal ideation/attempt among MDD patients with and without a comorbid diagnosis of OSA. The secondary objective was to compare the length of stay, total hospital charge, recurrent or severity of depression, and clinical comorbidities.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample dataset from 2006 to 2017. For data collection, we queried for all adult patients (age ≥ 18 y), with MDD as a primary indication of admission. Further, we categorized MDD patients with and without a secondary diagnosis of OSA. To reduce the imbalance in baseline characteristics between the groups, we performed one to one age-gender matching between MDD patients with and without OSA.

RESULTS

In the matched cohort, 79,308 patients were included in MDD with OSA and 78,792 patients in the MDD without OSA group. MDD patients with OSA were more likely to be racially white (80% vs 75%, P < 0.001), and to have more clinical comorbidities (hypertension, heart failure, obesity, and chronic lung disease). Prevalence of recurrent type of depression (77% vs 69%, P < 0.001) and moderate to severe depression (72% vs 68%, P < 0.001) was more likely in the MDD with OSA group. Further, suicidality (composite of suicidal ideation/attempt) was more in MDD with OSA (49.5%) compared to MDD without OSA (41.8%) (P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, MDD with OSA was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation/act compared to MDD without OSA (adjusted odds ratio: 1.27, P < 0.001). The total length of stay was longer in the MDD with OSA group (7.4 vs 6.9 d, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, poorer outcomes were observed in patients with MDD and OSA. Hence, clinicians should be vigilant for symptoms of OSA in patients with recurrent MDD or treatment-resistant MDD. We recommend that a thorough suicide risk assessment should be conducted in MDD patients with OSA, and validated questionnaires should be a part of the evaluation.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Suicide in a National Sample of Midlife and Older Women Veterans

BACKGROUND

Among midlife and older women, menopause symptoms and menopausal hormone therapy have been linked to mental health disorders and other comorbidities related to suicide. However, the role of hormone therapy as a prognostic factor of suicide risk is largely unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To examine associations between menopausal hormone therapy, suicide attempts, and suicide among midlife and older women Veterans.

RESEARCH DESIGN

In this longitudinal analysis of national Veterans Health Administration data from women Veterans aged 50 years and above, we used Fine-Gray proportional hazards models to examine associations between menopausal hormone therapy (prescribed in 2012-2013) and incident suicide attempts and suicide (index date-2016).

MEASURES

Menopausal hormone therapy and psychoactive medications from pharmacy records; suicide attempts and suicide from national suicide data repositories; demographic variables, medical and psychiatric diagnoses, and substance use disorders from electronic medical record data and International Classification Diagnoses-9-CM codes.

RESULTS

In this national sample of 291,709 women Veterans (mean age 60.47, SD 9.81), 6% were prescribed menopausal hormone therapy at baseline. Over an average of 4.5 years, 2673 had an incident suicide attempt (93%) or death by suicide (7%). Adjusting for age, race, and medical diagnoses, menopausal hormone therapy was associated with increased risk of suicide attempt (hazard ratio 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-1.64) and over 2-fold increased risk of death by suicide (hazard ratio 2.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.58-3.87). Associations with death by suicide remained significant after accounting for psychiatric comorbidity and psychoactive medications.

CONCLUSIONS

Menopausal hormone therapy may be an important indicator of suicide risk among midlife and older women.

The prospective associations between different types of sleep disturbance and suicidal behavior in a large sample of chinese college students

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbance can be an important predictor associated with suicide behaviors. However, to date, few studies have examined the prospective relationships between different types of sleep disturbance and suicidal behaviors. The current study examined which sleep disturbance types were independent risk factors for subsequent suicidal behaviors in a large sample of Chinese college students.

METHODS

Data came from a large-scale health-related cohort study in Guangdong, China. Participants were 11,740 college students initially assessed in March and April in 2019 and reassessed six month later. Self-administered structured questionnaires were used to assess suicidal behaviors, insomnia, nightmares, sleep disordered breathing (SDB) symptoms, restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms, depression, substance abuse and demographic characteristics. A series of logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between different types of sleep disturbance and suicidal behaviors.

RESULTS

Overall, 12.2% and 1.2% of college students reported suicidal ideation and attempts at baseline, and 8.6% and 2.4% reported similar behavior at follow-up. After adjustment for key covariates and prior suicidal behaviors, frequent nightmares (AORs = 1.35-1.69) and RLS symptoms (AOR = 1.37) at baseline predicted subsequent suicidal ideation, and only frequent nightmares (AOR = 2.40) at baseline predicted subsequent suicidal attempts.

LIMITATIONS

All measures were based on self-report instead of objective assessments or clinical diagnostic evaluations.

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent nightmares and RLS symptoms were independently associated subsequent suicidal ideation or attempts. Screening and managing sleep disturbance may be helpful for reducing the risk of suicidal behaviors among college students.

When Night Falls Fast: Sleep and Suicidal Behavior Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Sleep disturbances have been linked to suicidal ideation and behaviors in adolescents. Specifically, insomnia and nightmares are associated with current suicide risk and predict future ideation. Associations between hypersomnia, sleep apnea, and suicide remain inconclusive. Potential biological mechanisms underlying these relationships include executive functioning deficits and hyperarousal. Related psychological factors may include thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and negative appraisals. Assessing suicide risk in patients with sleep disturbances, and vice versa, is needed. Therapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia and imagery rehearsal treatment, as well as pharmacologic treatments, show promise in treating sleep disorders and suicidal behavior.

Prevalence of suicidal ideation among stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) among stroke survivors has been the subject of several studies, but systematic review data regarding the prevalence of SI among stroke patients are still scarce.Objectives: To estimate the pooled prevalence of SI among stroke survivors.Methods: A comprehensive search strategy was established across the following electronic databases; Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Chinese Wanfang database and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The 95% confidence interval (CI) given in each identified study was used to assess the outcomes. Cochran's Q test and I² statistic were used to evaluate heterogeneity. The quality of the final evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. We calculated the pooled prevalence of SI among stroke survivors before subgroup analysis and meta-regression was used to find the partial source of heterogeneity.Results: Twenty-one studies with a total of 17,189 participants were included in this study and the pooled prevalence of SI among stroke survivors was 12.25% (95%CI: 9.91-15.07%). Substantial heterogeneity was detected in the estimation of prevalence. The evidence was graded as very low for the overall outcome and the single item subgroup, while it was graded as low for the stable scale subgroup.Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests a high prevalence of SI among stroke survivors. Routine screening of SI after stroke is needed to plan interventions aimed at reducing suicide risk.

Role of persistent and worsening sleep disturbance in depression remission and suicidal ideation among older primary care patients: the PROSPECT study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

We analyzed data from a practice-based randomized controlled trial within 20 primary care practices located in greater New York City, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh to determine whether persistent or worsening sleep disturbance plays a role in the outcomes of depression and suicidal ideation at 1 year in older adults with depression.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 599 adults aged 60 years and older meeting criteria for major depression or clinically significant minor depression. Longitudinal analysis via growth curve mixture modeling was carried out to classify patients as having worsening, persistent, or improving sleep over 1 year.

RESULTS

At 1-year follow-up, compared with patients with improving sleep, those with worsening sleep were more likely to have a diagnosis of major depression (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 28.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 12.15 to 67.34), a diagnosis of clinically significant minor depression (aOR = 11.88, 95% CI 5.67 to 24.89), and suicidal ideation (aOR = 1.10, 1.005 to 1.199), and were half as likely to achieve remission (aOR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.57). Patients with persistent sleep disturbance showed similar but attenuated results.

CONCLUSIONS

Older primary care patients with depression who exhibit worsening or persistent sleep disturbance were at increased risk for persistent depression and suicidal ideation 1 year later. The pattern of sleep disturbance over time may be an important signal for exploration by primary care physicians of depression and suicidal ideation among older adults with depression.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT00279682.

Increasing Risks of Suicide Attempt and Suicidal Drug Overdose After Head Trauma in Patients With Sleep-Disordered Breathing: A Population-Based Study

Objective: To determine the risks of suicide attempt (SA) and suicidal drug overdose (SDO) after head trauma in patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) by using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. Methods: We analyzed the data of patients aged ≥20 years who were diagnosed with SDB between 2000 and 2012. We further divided them into two cohorts [with admission for head injury (SBI) and without (SBN)], and we compared them against sex-, age-, comorbidity-, and index-date-matched healthy individuals. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals of SA and SDO were calculated with adjustment of age, sex, and comorbidities. Results: Approximately 0.61% of patients among the overall 142,063 patients with SDB had SA, with 535 and 335 patients included in the SBN and SBI cohorts, respectively. Compared with patients with SBN, a significantly higher risk of SA was observed in patients with SBI (aHR = 2.22), especially in those aged under 50 years (aHR = 2.48). Notably, a SDO incidence of 1.20% was noted in patients with SDB, and the SBI cohort had a 1.81-fold higher risk for SDO when compared with the SBN cohort. Conclusion: The risks of subsequent SA and SDO are proportionally increased by the effects of head trauma with a moderating role of SDB, especially in those aged <50 years. SDB and head trauma can increase suicide behaviors individually and synergistically.

Association of Restless Legs Syndrome With Risk of Suicide and Self-harm

IMPORTANCE

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurologic disorder that has been previously found to be associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation. In the context of the increasing suicide rate in the United States, the evidence regarding the association between RLS and the risk of suicide and self-harm is limited.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between RLS and risk of suicide and self-harm.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study was performed using Truven Health MarketScan national claims data from 2006 to 2014; the baseline data were from 2006 to 2008, and the follow-up data covered 6 years (January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2014). Included were 24 179 nonpregnant participants with RLS and 145 194 age- and sex-matched participants without RLS at baseline (2006-2008), who were free of suicide, self-harm, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at study baseline. Data analysis was performed from February 1, 2018, to January 1, 2019.

EXPOSURE

Diagnosis of RLS, as identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Incident suicide and self-harm event, identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis code.

RESULTS

Among 169 373 participants in the current analysis, the mean (SD) age was 49.4 (9.1) years; 53 426 (31.5%) participants were men. During a mean (SD) follow-up duration of 5.2 (2.2) years, 119 incident suicide and self-harm cases were identified. Individuals with RLS had a higher risk of suicide or self-harm compared with those without RLS (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.70-4.15), after adjusting for lifestyle factors (eg, alcohol and obesity), presence of chronic diseases (eg, depression, insomnia, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, peripheral neuropathy, iron-deficiency anemia, and Parkinson disease), and use of medications. Excluding those with depression, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and other common chronic conditions, the significant association between RLS and suicide or self-harm persisted (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.14; 95% CI, 2.17-7.92).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Restless legs syndrome was associated with a high risk of suicide and self-harm, and the risk was independent of most identified diseases and conditions.

Sleep, suicide behaviors, and the protective role of sleep medicine

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbance is associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The relationship of specific sleep disorders to suicide attempts is less well established. Whether treating sleep disorders reduces suicide attempts remains controversial.

METHODS

Suicide attempts, treatment utilization, and psychiatric diagnoses were extracted from electronic medical records and a suicide attempt database from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The sample (N = 60,102) consisted of patients with any record of suicide attempt in FY13-14 and a 1:1 case-control of patients with no record of attempt, who were propensity score-matched based on age, gender, and prior year mental health treatment utilization. Associations among sleep disorders and suicide attempt were examined via logistic regression. Covariates included depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar, schizophrenia, substance use disorder (SUD), medical comorbidity, and obesity.

RESULTS

Insomnia (OR = 5.62; 95% CI, 5.39-5.86), nightmares (odds ratio, OR = 2.49; 95% confidence interval, CI, 2.23-2.77), and sleep-related breathing disorders (OR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.27-1.48) were positively associated with suicide attempt after accounting for age, gender, treatment utilization, and comorbid sleep disorders. Furthermore, when controlling for depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar, schizophrenia, substance use disorder (SUD), medical comorbidity, and obesity, insomnia (OR = 1.51, 95% CI, 1.43-1.59) remained positively associated with suicide attempt nightmares (OR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.85-1.09) nor sleep-related breathing disorders (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.79-0.94). Additionally, sleep medicine visits 180 days prior to index date were associated with decreased likelihood of suicide attempt for individuals with sleep disorders (OR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79-0.94).

CONCLUSION

Insomnia is associated with suicide attempt among veterans. Sleep medicine visits were associated with a reduced risk of suicide attempt in sleep disordered patients. The assessment and treatment of sleep disorders should be considered in context of strategies to augment suicide prevention efforts.

Suicidal ideation among recently returned veterans and its relationship to insomnia and depression

Suicide is a significant public health problem associated with numerous health factors such as insomnia. Suicidal ideation is common among veterans, who often present with multiple comorbidities. The present study examined direct and indirect relationships among suicidal ideation, insomnia, depression, and alcohol use. U.S. veterans (n = 850) recently separated from military service completed phone-based interviews covering multiple domains. Tests of indirect effects and bias-corrected confidence intervals were used to conduct a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a larger parent study examining relationships among the latent variables of suicidal ideation, insomnia, alcohol use, and depression. In this analysis insomnia did not have direct associations with suicidal ideation (Β = 0.06, t = 0.29, p = .772) or alcohol use (Β = 0.07, t = 1.73, p = .084). Insomnia severity was, however, significantly and positively related to depression severity (Β = 0.58, t = 21.70, p < .001). Additionally, more severe depression was associated with greater intensity of suicidal ideation (Β = 0.59, t = 3.64, p < .001). Notably, insomnia's indirect effect on suicidal ideation was driven by depression. In this sample of returning veterans, insomnia appears to indirectly impact suicidal ideation through its relationship with depression. This finding suggests the potential utility of addressing insomnia as part of an overall approach to reducing depressive symptomatology and indirectly, suicidal ideation.

Pharmacological treatment for insomnia in patients with major depressive disorder

INTRODUCTION

Insomnia in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent and associated with increased suffering and functional impairment. Effective, evidence-based treatments for insomnia in MDD are an unmet need in clinical practice.

AREAS COVERED

Herein, the authors provide a review of the clinical correlates, putative neurobiological mechanisms and treatment options for the management of insomnia in individuals with MDD.

EXPERT OPINION

Sleep disturbances in MDD should be recognized as at least one of the following: (1) a domain of depressive psychopathology; (2) a consequence of rhythm disruptions; (3) a manifestation of comorbidities of sleep disturbances; (4) a manifestation of the influence of sex hormones in the brain in MDD; (5) a general medical comorbidity; and (6) a side effect of antidepressant medications. Assessment of insomnia in clinical practices is routinely performed with the use of non-structured interviews. Other methods such as standardized questionnaires and sleep diaries, along with complementary methods such as actigraphy and polysomnography are more scarcely applied. Smartphones and personal devices offer a promising strategy with the use of passive, long lasting, and ecologically valid assessments despite the lack of studies specifically targeting insomnia in individuals with MDD. New therapeutic approaches are essential, including novel targets such as orexins/hypocretins and the endocannabinoid system.

Sleep apnea may be associated with suicidal ideation in adolescents

Suicide is a major threat to adolescent health. Sleep problems increase the risk of adolescent suicidal behavior, but the role of sleep-disordered breathing (e.g., sleep apnea) is unclear. We investigated whether sleep apnea had an effect on suicidal ideation that was independent of depression and perceived stress. We examined a series of sleep variables with suicidal ideation in 746 fifth and seventh graders using self-reported questionnaires to assess time in bed, sleep quality, insomnia, and sleep apnea while controlling depression and perceived stress. Overall, 8.8% of students aged 10-14 years reported having recent suicidal ideation, and 33% or 3.8%, depending on the screening criteria, reported having suspected sleep apnea. The sleep variables were all associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation, but the magnitude of effects was largely attenuated when depression and perceived stress were included in the models. Suspected sleep apnea using daytime sleepiness as a screening criterion was independently associated with suicidal ideation (odds ratio = 2.25, p < 0.05). Suspected sleep apnea was associated with suicidal ideation that was partly independent of depression and stress, which reveals the pertinence of screening for sleep apnea among school students and designing proper prevention strategies for reducing youth suicidal behavior.