Effects of antidepressant withdrawal on the dexamethasone suppression test.
Withdrawal of antidepressant medications may be a source of variance in dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results. We investigated this issue retrospectively through the serial analysis of postdexamethasone plasma cortisol concentrations and clinical severity in 15 patients and 9 control subjects before, during, and after antidepressant withdrawal. Postdexamethasone cortisol concentrations were significantly higher during the antidepressant withdrawal phase. Drug-withdrawal subjects also had an increased frequency of DST nonsuppression. Recent withdrawal of antidepressants requires further study as a possible source of variance for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal measures.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone