4 p.m. baseline cortisol level as a predictor of DST results in depression.
To assess the relationship of baseline cortisol to the 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST), 4 p.m. baseline and 4 p.m. postdexamethasone blood samples were drawn on 52 consecutive depressed outpatients. Baseline cortisol correlated significantly with post-DST values, and baseline levels above 15 micrograms/dl predicted DST nonsuppression with 90.4% accuracy. These data lend some support to the usefulness of baseline cortisol determination in depressed outpatients in whom a full DST may be difficult.
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011336:Probability; D013997:Time Factors
D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone