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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research article

No association between COMT val158met polymorphism and suicidal behavior: meta-analysis and new data

Authors: Carlos Tovilla-Zárate, Isela Juárez-Rojop, Teresa Ramón-Frias, Mario Villar-Soto, Sherezada Pool-García, Beatriz Camarena Medellín, Alma D Genis Mendoza, Lilia López Narvaez, Nicolini Humberto

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

The polymorphism COMTval158met has been associated with suicidal behavior in case-control and meta-analysis studies, but results and conclusions remain controversial. The objective of this study was to examine the association between COMT val158met with suicidal behavior in a case-control study and to assess the combined evidence -this case-control study and available data from other related studies- we carried out a meta-analysis.

Methods

We conducted a case-control study with 105 patients with suicide attempts and 236 controls. Subsequently, we performed a meta-analysis of published genetic association studies by searching through Medline, PubMed and Web of Science databases.

Results

No significant differences were found in the distribution of alleles (χ2 = 0.33, 1 df, p = 0.56) or genotypes (χ2 = 2.36, 2 df, p = 0.26). The meta-analysis comprising 12 association studies (including the present one) showed that the risk COMTmet allele of COMTval158/met is not associated with suicidal behavior (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.97-1.23), even in the absence of heterogeneity (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.97-1.23).

Conclusion

Our results showed no association between COMTval158/met and suicidal behavior. However, more studies are necessary to determine conclusively an association between COMT and suicidal behavior.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
No association between COMT val158met polymorphism and suicidal behavior: meta-analysis and new data
Authors
Carlos Tovilla-Zárate
Isela Juárez-Rojop
Teresa Ramón-Frias
Mario Villar-Soto
Sherezada Pool-García
Beatriz Camarena Medellín
Alma D Genis Mendoza
Lilia López Narvaez
Nicolini Humberto
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-11-151

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