The dexamethasone suppression test in a general hospital psychiatric setting.
The use of the dexamethasone suppression test in a general hospital setting is discussed with a review of some of the literature pertaining to the test. The test was performed on a series of 47 patients where there was a high index of suspicion that depression was present. Of the patients with a final diagnosis of depression, 77% had a nonsuppressive DST. There were no false positives. Bipolar depressed patients were more likely to be nonsuppressors than unipolar patients.
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology*
D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone