20 The final diagnoses were made by consensus of the two psychiatrists, blinded to the endocrine data. Suicide history attempt assessment and statistical analysis were conducted following the same procedures described above for depressed patients. The schizophrenic patients as a whole showed no significantly different baseline PRL values (13.9+7 µg/L versus

15.6±7 µg/L; P>0.8 by the U test) Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical when compared with healthy controls. However, DPRL was significantly lower in this group when compared with normal volunteers (2±6.1 µg/L versus 6.6±5.3 µg/L; P<0.Ql by the U test). This difference was mainly accounted for by the significantly lower PRL levels in suicidal patients, since a subgroup analysis showed that patients with schizophrenia and a suicide history exhibit lower

levels of PRL in response to D-FEN compared with patients with schizophrenia without such a history, and also compared with healthy controls. No difference in APRL levels was found between patients with schizophrenia without Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical a suicide history and controls. Healthy Trichostatin A controls and patients with schizophrenia, subgrouped by suicide history, presented no difference in demographic characteristics or baseline hormonal values as shown in Table III. The patients with schizophrenia and a suicide attempt history showed no demographic, clinical, or anamnestic differences compared with Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical patients without such a history. Age in years (30.4+11.1 versus 32±11.7; P>0.9 by U test), weight (61.3±8.8 kg versus 62.2±9.2 kg; P>0.75 by U test), age of illness onset in years (21.3±4.9 versus 24.9±8.7; P>0.3 by U test), number of previous hospitalizations (3.0±1.7 versus 2.8±1.9;/>>0.5 by U test), and distribution Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of schizophrenia subtypes (paranoid 5 versus 11; undifferentiated 3 versus 2; and disorganized 4 versus 8) were not statistically different between patients with schizophrenia with or without a suicidal history. Psychopathological data (HAM-D-17 and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS]) was also evaluated. No differences in HAM-D-17 scores or in the BPRS total or factor Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical scores were found between patients with or without a history of suicide attempt. (Table IV). Table III. Demographic characteristics

and biological data for normal controls and patients with schizophrenia according to their suicide history. Values are expressed as means±SD. BPRL, basal prolactin concentration; APRL indicates peak concentration minus … Table IV. Psychopathological data very for patients with schizophrenia according to their suicide history. Values are expressed as means±SD. HAM-D-17, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, 17-item version; BPRS, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; SHSP, patients … Patients with a recent suicide attempt. (n=5) exhibited comparable basal and post-fenfluramine hormonal levels when compared with patients with a past suicide attempt (n=7). Demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between these two subgroups (Table V). Table V.