The relationship of the dexamethasone suppression test (1 mg and 2 mg) to basal plasma cortisol levels in endogenous depression.
The 1 mg and 2 mg dexamethasone suppression tests (DST) were evaluated in two groups of endogenously depressed patients (n = 39 and n = 30, respectively) who also had a 1300-1600 hr basal cortisol assessment. Non-suppressors (on both DSTs) had significantly higher basal plasma cortisol levels and thus were significantly associated with relative cortisol hypersecretion. However, there was only a partial overlap between DST response and basal plasma cortisol, with a large variation of cortisol levels among non-suppressors. The 2 mg DST appears to be more specific for cortisol hypersecretion than the 1 mg DST. If cortisol hypersecretion is to be identified, neither the 1 mg or 2 mg DST is an adequate assessment nor a substitute for a basal cortisol assessment.
Asnis
G M
GM
Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467.
Halbreich
U
U
Ryan
N D
ND
Rabinowicz
H
H
Puig-Antich
J
J
Nelson
B
B
Novacenko
H
H
Friedman
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone