Use of the dexamethasone suppression test on a combined medicine-psychiatry inpatient unit.
The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) appears to be a sensitive and specific biological marker for endogenous depression that can have important diagnostic and treatment implications. The authors present three case studies of patients treated on a combined medicine-psychiatric inpatient unit, and who presented with complex psychobiological illnesses. They discuss the usefulness of the DST in the hospital management of these patients from a diagnostic and treatment perspective.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005162:Factitious Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital
D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone