[Value of the dexamethasone suppression test in anorexia nervosa]

Patients suffering from anorexia nervosa were assessed for variables of weight, dexamethasone-suppression-test and depressive symptomatology at three stages of inpatient treatment. With increase of body weight we found a highly significant decrease of plasma cortisol concentrations and depressive symptoms. During refeeding there also was a significant association between the degree of weight deficit (in % of ideal body weight) and plasma cortisol level, but the dexamethasone-suppression-test-result did not correlate with depression scores. However in 8 patients whose clinical condition deteriorated although their weight remained stable the dexamethasone-suppression-test results became abnormal again. The authors hypothesize that--besides the effect of weight loss--the dexamethasone-suppression-test might reflect the influence of other psychobiological factors which still have to be investigated.