Table 1.

Demographic and tissue characteristics of suicides and controls subjects. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) values for each group are provided for age, postmortem interval (PM h) and pH

Group	Sex	Age	Cause of death	Diagnosis (DSM-IV)	BAL	PM h	pH
Suicide	F	42	Intoxication		Neg.	11	6.70
Suicide	F	49	Hanging	MDD	0.6	72	6.75
Suicide	F	38	Hanging		Neg.	66	6.80
Suicide	F	61	Hanging		1.56	91	6.30
Suicide	F	83	Hanging		Neg.	48	6.50
Suicide	F	63	Jumping from height	MDD		52	6.65
Suicide	F	39	Jumping from height		1.91	11	6.85
Suicide	F	67	Jumping from height		Neg.	115	6.35
Suicide	F	57	Intoxication	MDD	Neg.	110	6.30
Suicide	F	81	Cutting	MDD	Neg.	69	6.65
Suicide	F	31	Intoxication	BD I		72	7.00
Suicide	F	65	Intoxication			48	6.60
Suicide	F	46	Intoxication		1.27	39	6.65
Suicide	F	53	Jumping from height	MDD	0.002	4	6.75
n = 14 (Mean ± SD)		55.3 ± 15.7				57.7 ± 34.5	6.6 ± 0.2
Suicide	M	33	Gunshot		2.24	24	6.90
Suicide	M	59	Hanging	MDD		72	6.90
Suicide	M	33	Hanging		Neg.	24	6.70
Suicide	M	51	Hanging		0.19	115	6.80
Suicide	M	72	Jumping from height		Neg.	86	6.85
Suicide	M	55	Hanging		Neg.	88	6.75
Suicide	M	57	Hanging		1.7	97	6.70
Suicide	M	66	Hanging	MDD	Neg.	48	6.85
Suicide	M	72	Hanging		1.59	92	6.70
Suicide	M	29	Hanging		0.96	32	6.60
Suicide	M	27	Hanging		0.29	115	6.90
Suicide	M	38	Jumping from height	MDD	Neg.	48	6.90
Suicide	M	60	Hanging	AA	0.04	96	6.70
Suicide	M	48	Hanging			48	6.60
Suicide	M	66	Hanging		Neg.	110	6.70
Suicide	M	57	Intoxication	MDD		72	6.65
Suicide	M	43	Gunshot	AA	2.92	100	7.10
Suicide	M	64	Cutting		Neg.	13	6.75
Suicide	M	42	Hanging		0.001	40	7.05
Suicide	M	33	Suffocation		Neg.	31	6.7
n = 20 (Mean ± SD)		50.2 ± 14.6				67.5 ± 32.4	6.8 ± 0.1
Control	F	67	Heart attack			72	6.40
Control	F	71	Pancreatitis			48	6.55
Control	F	76	Heart attack			115	6.60
Control	F	53	Heart attack			67	6.75
Control	F	62	Heart attack			115	6.80
n = 5 (Mean ± SD)		65.8 ± 8.8				83 ± 30.2	6.64 ± 0.1
Control	M	63	Emphysema			98	6.95
Control	M	59	Heart attack			48	6.80
Control	M	65	Heart attack			87	7.00
Control	M	77	Aneurysm			76	6.80
Control	M	62	Accident		1.68	15	6.70
Control	M	69	Heart attack		0.23	110	6.80
Control	M	54	Heart attack			46	6.80
Control	M	37	Heart attack			61	6.65
Control	M	58	Heart attack			96	6.65
Control	M	48	Heart attack			48	6.95
Control	M	54	Heart attack		0.41	48	6.30
Control	M	55	Heart attack			70	6.45
n = 12 (Mean ± SD)		58.4 ± 10.2				66.92 ± 27.6	6.7 ± 0.2
Total suicides (n = 34), mean ± SD		52.3 ± 15				63.5 ± 33	6.7 ± 0.2
Total controls (n = 17)		60.6 ± 10				71.7 ± 28	6.7 ± 0.19

BAL, blood alcohol level; PM h, postmortem interval; AA, alcohol abuse; BD I, bipolar I disorder; MDD, major depressive disorder.