Relationship of N-acetyl-(beta)-glucosaminidase levels to seriousness of suicide attempts

We hypothesized that levels of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) would differ between patients making serious versus nonserious suicide attempts. The levels of NAG from 11 patients hospitalized for serious suicide attempts were compared to 5 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 (23 versus 52; p = 0.01). NAG may be a marker for a biological variable that is associated with the seriousness of a suicide attempt.