Plasma dexamethasone and cortisol levels in depressed outpatients.
We investigated the 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in 41 outpatients with major depressive disorder assessing the role of dexamethasone blood level, age and basal cortisol on DST results. Non-suppressors (approximately 25% of patients) had lower dexamethasone levels, and post-dexamethasone cortisol was negatively correlated with plasma dexamethasone; these findings were more significant after covarying out age and basal cortisol, factors that were also significantly associated to non-suppressors. A subgroup of patients (n = 19) also had 0.75-mg and 2.0-mg DST to evaluate whether a threshold dexamethasone blood level existed; a dexamethasone blood level greater than 1.5 ng/ml converted all non-suppressors to suppressors. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Asnis
G M
GM
Department of Psychiatry, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
Friedman
J M
JM
Miller
A H
AH
Iqbal
N
N
Lo
E S
ES
Cooper
T B
TB
Halbreich
U
U
Lemus
C Z
CZ
van Praag
H M
HM
Rubinson
E
E
D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests
D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone