Depression, Weight Loss and the Dexamethasone Suppression Test
- 1 July 1984
- journal article
- Published by Royal College of Psychiatrists in The British Journal of Psychiatry
- Vol. 145 (1) , 88-90
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.145.1.88
Abstract
Summary: The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was carried out on 143 patients with a major depressive disorder, who were classified into those with a history of weight loss (n = 89) and those without (n = 54). Seventy-three per cent of patients with weight loss and 61% of patients without had an abnormal DST; this difference was not statistically significant. Of the patients receiving prophylactic lithium therapy, 13 were found to have changed their DST status on retesting after a period of 14 months, but there was no significant difference in their weight. It is concluded that weight loss is not a necessary condition for an abnormal DST in depressive illness.Keywords
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