title: The dexamethasone suppression test in healthy controls.
abstract: We have summarized the results of 53 studies which examined the dexamethasone suppression test in normal controls. Only 3.6% of 687 0800 hr postdexamethasone cortisol levels were above 5 micrograms/dl. Corresponding figures for 1600 hr and 2300 hr cortisol levels were 7.4% (85/1144) and 6.3% (28/434), respectively. Neither the type of assay (competitive protein binding or radioimmunoassay) nor mean/median age of the subjects was associated with non-suppression rates.
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coryell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone