Dexamethasone Suppression Test in Depressive Illness: Its Relation to Anxiety Symptoms

1984 ◽  
Vol 144 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. T. Saleem
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
Depressive Illness ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression Test ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Negative Finding ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Suppression Test ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression

SummaryFifty-nine depressed inpatients who satisfied Feighner's criteria for depression were separated into two groups by the response of their plasma Cortisol (1600 hours) to a dose of 1 mg of dexamethasone given at 2100 hours. No statistically significant differences were found between suppressors and non-suppressors as regards severity of anxiety or depressive symptoms in the Leeds and the MADRS rating scales. No single item either in the Leeds or the MADRS scale was associated with a positive DST. The reason for this negative finding is discussed.

The Dexamethasone Suppression Test as a Discriminator among Subtypes of Psychotic Patients

1982 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
pp. 471-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Rothschild ◽  
Alan F. Schatzberg ◽  
Alan H. Rosenbaum ◽  
Julie B. Stahl ◽  
Jonathan O. Cole
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Depressive Illness ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression Test ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Distribution Of Values ◽  
Suppression Test ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression

SummaryPlasma Cortisol levels examined at 16.00 hours after dexamethasone in 31 controls and in 34 psychotic patients with various diagnoses, suggests that the ranges of such levels may help to discriminate among subtypes of psychotic patients. They were significantly higher in the unipolar depressed psychotic group than in control subjects or in psychotic patients with bipolar depression or schizophrenia. Moreover, the distribution of values differed between groups. Whereas 8 of 14 psychotic patients with unipolar depressive illness had post-dexamethasone Cortisol values ≥ 14 μg/dl, none of the remaining psychotic patients had similarly high values. Implications of these data are discussed.

The Dexamethasone Suppression Test for Melancholia

1982 ◽  
Vol 140 (3) ◽  
pp. 292-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard J. Carroll
Keyword(s):  
Differential Diagnosis ◽  
Adrenal Cortex ◽  
Depressive Illness ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression Test ◽  
Neuroendocrine System ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Biological Basis ◽  
Suppression Test ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression

SummaryMelancholia is thought by many investigators to have a biological basis, and biological research, particularly on abnormalities of the neuroendocrine system and of the sleep electroencephalogram, is now beginning to yield results which can help in the differential diagnosis of depressive illness. This review will focus on the most widely studied neuroendocrine disturbance: disinhibition of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex (HPA) system as revealed by the dexamethasone suppression test (DST).

Postdexamethason intact and multisequentia ACTH in melancholia

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-13
Author(s):  
M. Maes ◽  
C. Vandervorst ◽  
E. Suy ◽  
M. Martin ◽  
B. Minner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Clinical Relevance ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ◽  
Severity Of Illness ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression Test ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Suppression Test ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression

SummaryThe dexamethasone suppression test has been carried out in 111 depressed inpatients. Fasting, 8 a.m. plasma levels of Cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were determined before and after administration of 1 mg dexamethasone. In 64 subjects multisequential (1-17,1-24,1-39) ACTH, and in 47 subjects intact (1-39) ACTH has been determined. Patients with melancholia exhibited significantly higher postdexamethasone Cortisol and intact ACTH values as compared with minor and simple major depressives. Severity of illness was significantly and positively related to postdexamethasone intact ACTH - but not to multisequential ACTH. Cortisol nonsuppressors showed higher postdexamethasone (only intact) ACTH values than Cortisol suppressors. Both postdexamethasone ACTH values were significantly and positively related with the postdexamethasone Cortisol values. We have established that Cortisol nonsuppression during melancholia is determined by an augmented escape of ACTH from suppression by dexamethasone. Intact ACTH showed the most significant clinical relevance for depression and Cortisol nonsuppression. In the clinical practice we advize the use of postdexamethasone intact ACTH in stead of plasma Cortisol or multisequential ACTH.

Performance of the Dexamethasone Suppression Test in Depressive Illness According to ICD and DSM-III Classification Systems

1988 ◽  
Vol 152 (4) ◽  
pp. 554-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Watkins ◽  
Brian Harris ◽  
Nigel Cook ◽  
Roger Thomas ◽  
Diana Riad-Fahmy
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Episode ◽  
Depressive Illness ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression Test ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Manic Depressive Illness ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Diagnostic Categories ◽  
Manic Depressive ◽  
Suppression Test ◽  
Dexamethasone Suppression

The performance of the dexamethasone suppression test was assessed in 90 consecutive admissions with a diagnosis of depression, categorised according to two classification systems (DSM-III and ICD-9). Non-suppression was found in most of the diagnostic categories, but there was a highly significant association with the DSM-III classification ‘major depressive episode with melancholia’ (52%) in comparison with the ICD group ‘manic-depressive illness-depressed’ (29%).

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