title: Drug intake and the dexamethasone suppression test.
abstract: The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) is being used clinically as a diagnostic laboratory test for depression. Drug histories collected from 336 psychiatric inpatients revealed that 60% were taking one or more drugs suspected of altering DST results in either a false-positive or false-negative manner. Practical limitations of the DST as a biologic marker of affective syndromes in relation to patient drug use are discussed.
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000378:metabolism; D004358:Drug Therapy; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone