joeyjoey
10-03-2003, 04:44 PM
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=ZKFLUELZWBKOCCRBAEZSF EY?type=healthNews&storyID=3554376
Cosmetic Breast Implants May Raise Suicide Risk
Fri October 3, 2003 10:37 AM ET
By Megan Rauscher
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study suggest that women who receive cosmetic breast implants are at increased risk for suicide.
Dr. Eero Pukkala of Tampere School of Public Health and colleagues examined the death rates and the causes of those deaths among 2,166 Finnish women who underwent cosmetic breast surgery between 1970 and 2000. Most of the procedures involved silicone gel implants.
Women with cosmetic breast implants did not have a higher death rate overall than women in the general population, according to the report in the Annals of Plastic Surgery.
However, the authors did find an "excess" of suicides among implant patients--10 to be exact. This means that implant patients were about three times more likely than other women to commit suicide. Deaths due to suicide were most pronounced in the first five years of follow-up.
The authors note that the "high suicide risk" observed in the Finnish women supports a previous study conducted in Swedish group of breast implant patients.
The researchers emphasize, however, that their study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between cosmetic breast implants and suicide. It may have more to do with the type of women who choose cosmetic breast implantation. "Underlying (mental problems) represents a possible explanation," they write.
In a telephone interview with Reuters Health, Dr. James Wells, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said "we've been looking at the U.S. breast implant patient population for many, many years and there has been no evidence of increased suicide rates."
It is also noteworthy, Wells said, that "the Finnish and Swedish populations have a higher incidence of suicide in general."
"That's not to say the finding should be ignored," he added. "We are clearly going to study it."
Further studies looking at the mental health of breast implant patients are needed to clarify the apparent with suicide, Pukkala's team concludes.
SOURCE: Annals of Plastic Surgery, October 2003.
Cosmetic Breast Implants May Raise Suicide Risk
Fri October 3, 2003 10:37 AM ET
By Megan Rauscher
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study suggest that women who receive cosmetic breast implants are at increased risk for suicide.
Dr. Eero Pukkala of Tampere School of Public Health and colleagues examined the death rates and the causes of those deaths among 2,166 Finnish women who underwent cosmetic breast surgery between 1970 and 2000. Most of the procedures involved silicone gel implants.
Women with cosmetic breast implants did not have a higher death rate overall than women in the general population, according to the report in the Annals of Plastic Surgery.
However, the authors did find an "excess" of suicides among implant patients--10 to be exact. This means that implant patients were about three times more likely than other women to commit suicide. Deaths due to suicide were most pronounced in the first five years of follow-up.
The authors note that the "high suicide risk" observed in the Finnish women supports a previous study conducted in Swedish group of breast implant patients.
The researchers emphasize, however, that their study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between cosmetic breast implants and suicide. It may have more to do with the type of women who choose cosmetic breast implantation. "Underlying (mental problems) represents a possible explanation," they write.
In a telephone interview with Reuters Health, Dr. James Wells, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said "we've been looking at the U.S. breast implant patient population for many, many years and there has been no evidence of increased suicide rates."
It is also noteworthy, Wells said, that "the Finnish and Swedish populations have a higher incidence of suicide in general."
"That's not to say the finding should be ignored," he added. "We are clearly going to study it."
Further studies looking at the mental health of breast implant patients are needed to clarify the apparent with suicide, Pukkala's team concludes.
SOURCE: Annals of Plastic Surgery, October 2003.