Serum thyrotropin responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in alcohol-dependent patients with and without depression.
Forty-one patients with DSM-III alcohol dependence syndrome were studied, as were 30 patients with major depression and 20 healthy controls. Nineteen of the alcohol-dependent patients had depressive symptoms. All subjects underwent a TRH/TSH stimulation test. Fifty percent of the alcohol-dependent patients without depression had a blunted response, while 52% of patients with depression were similarly blunted. The overall rate of blunting in the non-alcoholic major depressives was 26%. Blunting in the alcoholics was not associated with a personal or family history of affective disorder. Furthermore the blunted response in recently detoxified alcoholics was of no prognostic significance.
O'Hanlon
M
M
St. Patrick's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Barry
S
S
Clare
A W
AW
Dinan
T G
TG
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin