title: Relationships of DEX/CRH and GHRH test results to the outcome of depression--preliminary results suggest the GHRH test may predict relapse after discharge.
abstract: To explore and compare hypothalamic-pituitary-somatotropic (HPS) axis function and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function in depression, the dexamethasone (DEX)/CRH test and growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) test were prospectively performed on patients with depression at the time of admission and discharge. The patients who relapsed within six months after discharge exhibited significantly lower growth hormone (GH) responses to GHRH at the time of discharge than those who did not relapse. There were no significant correlations between GH response to GHRH and the results of DEX/CRH tests after controlling for age, sex, and body mass index. The findings of this study suggest that results of the GHRH test may be a predictor of future relapse in patients with depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. toshimi@mpipsykl.mpg.de <toshimi@mpipsykl.mpg.de>
authors.forename: Toshimi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Owashi
authors.forename: Tempei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsubo
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakagome
authors.forename: Teruhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: Kunitoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamijima
mesh_terms: D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone