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Table 5 Univariate clinical correlates of suicidality in patients with bulimia nervosa

From: Frequency and correlates of lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among consecutively hospitalized youth with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: results from a retrospective chart review

BN

(n = 84)

Suicidality + 

(n = 45)

Suicidality-

(n = 39)

df

z

t-test

U-test

χ2-test

p

d

phi

Age of ED onset in years, Mdn (Q1,Q3)

15.0

(13.7,16.0)

14.4

(13.4,15.3)

-0.8

613.5

0.425

0.19

Duration of illness, month, M ± SD

17.0

 ± 12.2

22.0

 ± 13.6

73

1.7

0.101

0.39

BMI percentiles at hospital admission, Mdn (Q1,Q3)

36.0

(18.3,77.8)

46.0

(22.3,64.8)

-0.5

659.0

0.636

0.11

Kgs < 1st BMI percentile, Mdn (Q1,Q3)

0.0

(0.0,0.0)

0.0

(0.0,0.0)

-0.9

688.0

0.394

0.04

Weight change in kg/week

0.0

(-0.3,0.2)

-0.0

(-0.3,0.3)

-0.0

288.0

0.968

0.01

Psychiatric comorbidities, average number, Mdn (Q1,Q3)

1.0

(1.0,1.5)

0.0

(0.0)

-3.3

545.0

0.001

0.69

Psychiatric comorbidities, at least one, n (%)

37

(82.2)

18

(46.2)

1

10.5

0.001

0.38

Substance abuse

2

(4.4)

2

(5.1)

1

0.0

1.000

0.02

Affective disorders, at least one, n (%)

23

(51.1)

11

(28.2)

1

4.6

0.033

0.23

 Persistent affective disorder

14

(31.1)

9

(23.1)

1

0.3

0.563

0.09

 Depressive episode

10

(22.2)

2

(5.1)

1

3.7

0.031

0.02

 Recurrent depressive episode

1

(2.2)

0

(0.0)

1

0.0

1.000

0.10

Anxiety disorders, at least one, n (%)

1

(2.2)

0

(0.0)

1

0.0

1.000

0.10

 Phobia

1

(3.8)

0

(0.0)

1

0.0

0.464

0.12

 Panic disorder

0

(0.0)

1

(3.3)

1

0.0

1.000

0.10

 Mixed anxiety and depression

1

(2.2)

0

(0.0)

1

0.0

1.000

0.10

Obsessive–compulsive disorder

2

(4.4)

0

(0.0)

1

0.4

0.497

0.15

Personality disorders traits, n (%)

16

(35.6)

9

(23.1)

1

1.0

0.313

0.14

 Borderline

10

(22.2)

7

(17.9)

1

0.0

0.831

0.05

 Combined

 

3 (6.7)

 

1 (2.6)

1

0.0

0.153

0.10

 Anxious

1

(3.8)

0

(0.0)

1

0.0

0.464

0.12

 Mixed and other

0

(0.0)

1

(3.8)

1

0.0

1.000

0.10

 Histrionic

2

(4.4)

0

(0.0)

1

0.4

0.539

0.15

Family psychopathology present

25

(55.6)

20

(51.3)

1

0.0

0.695

0.04

Suicide (attempt) environment, n (%)

5

(11.1)

2

(5.1)

1

0.4

0.442

0.11

History of childhood abuse, n (%)

12

(26.7)

6

(15.4)

1

1.0

0.322

0.14

 Emotional abuse

5

(11.1)

4

(10.3)

1

0.0

1.000

0.18

 Sexual abuse

4

(8.9)

0

(0.0)

1

0.1

0.681

0.07

 Physical abuse

3

(6.7)

0

(0.0)

1

1.1

0.245

0.01

NSSI, average number, Mdn (Q1,Q3)

0.0

(1.0,1.0)

0.0

(0.0,1.0)

-2.7

611.0

0.007

0.54

NSSI, at least one, n (%)

27

(60.0)

13

(33.3)

1

6.0

0.015

0.27

Psychotropic drugs, average number, Mdn (Q1,Q3)

0.0

(0.0,1.0)

0.0

(0.0)

-1.3

765.5

0.184

0.22

Psychiatric drugs, at least one, n (%)

14

(31.1)

7

(17.9)

1

1.3

0.256

0.15

 Antidepressants

14

(31.1)

5

(12.8)

1

3.0

0.082

0.22

 Antipsychotics

3

(6.7)

4

(10.3)

1

0.0

0.099

0.07

  1. BN Bulimia nervosa, Mdn median, NSSI lifetime non-suicidal self-injury, psychotropic drugs prescription during treatment, Q1 = 1st Quartile, Q3 = 3rd Quartile, SD standard deviation, suicidality + lifetime history of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, suicidality- no lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, significant p-values < 0.05 are bold