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Original article| Volume 34, ISSUE 1-2, P108-114, July 01, 1993

State specificity of DST abnormalities in geriatric depression

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(93)90263-D
State specificity of DST abnormalities in geriatric depression
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      Abstract

      Pre-treatment and posttreatment dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results in physically healthy elderly major depressives without dementia demonstrated an association between treatment and DST normalization. Sixty percent of subjects were nonsuppressors at baseline compared to 17% after intensive treatment. DST results normalized in 75% of initial non-suppressors; none of the initial suppressors converted to nonsuppression.
      A strong correlation between clinical improvement and decreases in afternoon cortisol levels was identified. Initial suppression status did not influence this association. There was a nonsignificant trend for very high (>15 μg/dl) afternoon cortisol levels to be associated with delusional depression.
      The advantage of using continuous rather than categorical measures to assess the relationship between reversal of depression and DST results is discussed.

      Keywords

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      Article info

      Publication history

      Received in revised form: April 12, 1993
      Received: May 14, 1992

      Footnotes

      ☆This project was supported by NIMH Grant MH43856.

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(93)90263-D

      Copyright

      © 1993 Published by Elsevier Inc.

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