Association of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase levels with seriousness of suicide attempts

We hypothesized that levels of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG) would differ between patients making serious versus nonserious suicide attempts. The levels of NAG from 7 patients hospitalized for serious suicide attempts were compared to 3 patients whose suicide attempts were not rated serious. There was a significant difference in the mean NAG levels of the serious suicide attempters and the nonserious attempters, 25 versus 61; p = .036. Implications of this finding are discussed.