Anastasi G. Inflammation and suicide risk in adolescents with self-injury: Expanding the role of mental health nursing. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(1): 113965 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i1.113965]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Giuliano Anastasi, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Department of Trauma, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Gaetano Martino-Messina, No. 1 Via Consolare Valeria, Messina 98121, Sicilia, Italy. giuliano.anastasi@polime.it
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Nursing
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Editorial
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Jan 19, 2026 (publication date) through Dec 31, 2025
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World Journal of Psychiatry
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2220-3206
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Anastasi G. Inflammation and suicide risk in adolescents with self-injury: Expanding the role of mental health nursing. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(1): 113965 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i1.113965]
World J Psychiatry. Jan 19, 2026; 16(1): 113965 Published online Jan 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i1.113965
Inflammation and suicide risk in adolescents with self-injury: Expanding the role of mental health nursing
Giuliano Anastasi
Giuliano Anastasi, Department of Trauma, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Gaetano Martino-Messina, Messina 98121, Sicilia, Italy
Author contributions: Anastasi G conceptualized and wrote the paper.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Giuliano Anastasi, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Department of Trauma, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Gaetano Martino-Messina, No. 1 Via Consolare Valeria, Messina 98121, Sicilia, Italy. giuliano.anastasi@polime.it
Received: September 8, 2025 Revised: October 21, 2025 Accepted: October 29, 2025 Published online: January 19, 2026 Processing time: 114 Days and 11.4 Hours
Abstract
Recently, inflammatory cytokine profiles have been linked to suicide risk in adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury, highlighting a promising biological dimension of suicide risk assessment. Clinical translation of the cytokine profiles into practice will require frontline engagement of the workforce. Mental health nurses are frequently the most accessible professionals in schools, communities, and low-resource settings and are prime candidates to bridge this gap. By integrating psychosocial evaluation with emerging biomarker data, they can deliver systematic risk assessment, continuous monitoring, and timely intervention. This role would not replace psychiatric expertise; it would extend the reach of psychiatric services, embedding suicide prevention across the continuum of care. For health systems, nurse-led integration may enhance capacity, equity, and resilience in responding to adolescent suicide risk. This editorial demonstrates that empowering nurses to operationalize biomarker-informed strategies is needed for advancing effective and sustainable suicide prevention in this vulnerable population.
Core Tip: Inflammatory biomarkers, such as interleukin-10 and interferon-α, have been associated with suicide risk among adolescents with self-injury, offering a biological complement to psychosocial assessment. However, translating these biological profiles into clinical practice will require specialized healthcare workers. Empowering mental health nurses to integrate biomarker monitoring with structured nursing assessment can transform laboratory findings into practical, equitable, and sustainable strategies for adolescent suicide prevention.
