Effect of hospital admission on DST results

The authors examined the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) responses of 41 patients with primary major depressive disorder and 40 patients with other psychiatric disorders who were tested within 2-6 days of hospital admission. Significantly more patients with primary depression who were tested on day 2 demonstrated abnormal cortisol suppression than those who were tested on days 3, 4, or 3-6 and than patients with other psychiatric disorders regardless of test day. These results suggest that patients with primary depression may be sensitive to psychophysiologic stresses associated with hospital admission and that the utility of the DST may require further evaluation vis-à-vis the day of DST administration.