title: Overnight metyrapone and combined dexamethasone/metyrapone tests in post-traumatic stress disorder: preliminary findings.
abstract: Using overnight metyrapone and combined dexamethasone/metyrapone tests, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis feedback regulation was characterised in 10 patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 10 matched healthy comparison subjects. Significant treatment effects of both metyrapone and the combination of dexamethasone and metyrapone were observed for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), 11-deoxycortisol (11-DOC) and cortisol, but no differences between patients and comparison subjects emerged. Dose-response studies using metyrapone and glucocorticoid agonists are needed to further investigate HPA axis regulation in PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany. kellner@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kellner
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Otte
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yassouridis
authors.forename: Mildred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003350:Cortodoxone / Q000097:blood; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008797:Metyrapone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003350:Cortodoxone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D008797:Metyrapone