Could serum protein S100b level be A potential marker insuicide risk in unipolar depression in adults?

Backgrounds: Suicidal behavior is a significant public health problem worldwide and is one of the leading preventable deaths. Studies have found that S100B protein was increased in patients at risk of suicide. In our study, we compared pre- treatment and post-treatment S100B levels in patients with depression and suicidal ideation with healthy controls. Methods: The study included 29 patients with suicidal ideation who were hospitalized in the psychiatry inpatient clinic with a diagnosis of depression and 29 healthy controls. Before the treatment, the patient group was administered SPS, RSES and CTQ. Serum S100B levels were measured before and after treatment in the patient group and the results compared with the healthy control group. Results: It was found that the pre-treatment S100B values in the patient group were significantly higher than the control group (p˂0.05). After the treatment, it was shown that the significant difference between the patient and the control group disappeared (p> 0.05). It was found that there was no significant correlation between pre-treatment S100B levels and SPS in the patient group (p> 0.05). A statistically significant relationship was found between RSES and pre-treatment S100B levels, and S100B levels increased as self-esteem decreased in the patient group (p˂0.05). The pre- treatment S100B levels and CTQ scores were compared and no significant relationship was found between two scales (p> 0.05). Conclusions: Pre-treatment S100B levels in the patient group were significantly higher than the controls, and this difference was shown to disappear after treatment. So, there may be a relationship between response to treatment and the S100B level in patients. Also, there was an indirect relationship between suicide probability and S100B mediated by self esteem. So the increased level of S100B protein may be an indicator of self esteem than the suicide probability before the treatment.