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Dexamethasone Concentrations and the Dexamethasone Suppression Test in Psychiatric Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Howard Morris ,
Vaughan Carr ,
Judy Gilliland  and
Michael Hooper
Howard Morris*
Affiliation:
Division of Clinical Chemistry, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
Vaughan Carr
Affiliation:
University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
Judy Gilliland
Affiliation:
Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
Michael Hooper
Affiliation:
Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000
*
Correspondence
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Abstract

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) has been widely used in psychiatry as a laboratory aid for the diagnosis of endogenous depression; failure to suppress serum cortisol levels is interpreted as confirming a clinical diagnosis of endogenous depression. We found that serum dexamethasone concentrations in this test vary widely and are determinants of the DST response: non-suppression of serum cortisol levels is associated with low serum dexamethasone concentrations, and suppression is associated with high concentrations.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 148 , Issue 1 , January 1986 , pp. 66 - 69
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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