Systematic Analysis of Nonfatal Suicide Attempts and Further Diagnostic of Secondary Injury in Strangulation Survivors: A Retrospective Cross-sectional Study

Overview

Journal Health Sci Rep

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2023 Oct 5

PMID 37795312

Authors

Thorleif Etgen

Manuel Stigloher

Hans Forstl

Peter Zwanzger

Michael Rentrop

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Aims: Data on nonfatal suicide attempts in Germany are sparse. The study aimed to analyze data on nonfatal suicide attempts and consecutive diagnostic steps to identify secondary injuries after strangulation.

Methods: All admissions after nonfatal suicide attempt in a large Bavarian psychiatric hospital between 2014 and 2018 were reviewed and the methods were analyzed.

Results: A total of 2125 verified cases out of 2801 registered cases of nonfatal suicide attempts were included in further analysis. The most common methods were intoxication ( = 1101, 51.8%), cutting ( = 461, 21.7%), and strangulation ( = 183, 8.6%). Among survivors of strangulation with external neck compression ( = 99, 54.1%), no diagnostic steps were performed in 36 (36.4%) patients and insufficient imaging in 13 (20.6%) patients. Carotid artery dissection was detected in two (4.0%) of 50 patients with adequate neuroimaging.

Conclusions: This study provides details on nonfatal suicide attempts in Germany. Slightly more than half of the patients with strangulation underwent adequate diagnostic work-up, with 4.0% being diagnosed with dissection. Further studies with systematic screening for dissection after strangulation in psychiatric hospitals are recommended to reduce possible under-reporting.

Citing Articles

Systematic analysis of nonfatal suicide attempts and further diagnostic of secondary injury in strangulation survivors: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Etgen T, Stigloher M, Forstl H, Zwanzger P, Rentrop M Health Sci Rep. 2023; 6(10):e1572.

PMID: 37795312 PMC: 10545888. DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1572.

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