Dexamethasone suppression test in depressive illness: its relation to anxiety symptoms

Fifty-nine depressed inpatients who satisfied Feighner's criteria for depression were separated into two groups by the response of their plasma cortisol (1600 hours) to a dose of 1 mg of dexamethasone given at 2100 hours. No statistically significant differences were found between suppressors and non-suppressors as regards severity of anxiety or depressive symptoms in the Leeds and the MADRS rating scales. No single item either in the Leeds or the MADRS scale was associated with a positive DST. The reason for this negative finding is discussed.