title: Pharmacologic provocation and dexamethasone suppression test sensitivity.
abstract: In expectation of improving sensitivity, the standard 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was given to 10 depressed inpatients and repeated with theophylline or caffeine and again following 3 days of lorazepam with abrupt discontinuation. Two patients showed nonsuppression on the standard DST; 2 suppressors changed to nonsuppression after lorazepam discontinuation, and 1 also changed after theophylline. This increase from 20 to 40% sensitivity remains significantly less than a desirable minimum 80% sensitivity (p less than 0.001), which suggests that a consistent DST sensitivity of 80% in melancholia is unlikely to be attained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, Ill.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Breen
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Wahby
mesh_terms: D002110:Caffeine; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013806:Theophylline
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D013806:Theophylline; D008140:Lorazepam; D006854:Hydrocortisone