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The dexamethasone suppression test and suicidal patients.
- Source :
-
The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science [Br J Psychiatry] 1985 Oct; Vol. 147, pp. 419-23. - Publication Year :
- 1985
-
Abstract
- The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was used in an in-patient crisis unit to determine whether the test could identify suicidal patients who might benefit from tricyclic antidepressants. DST results, DSM-III diagnoses, and measures of symptom levels were obtained for 72 patients admitted for a 3-5 day period; 31 were non-suppressors. Abnormal DST results were not related to DSM-III diagnosis or to scores on measures of depression and symptom levels. Only three patients met DSM-III criteria for major depression with melancholia; 26 patients had a diagnosis of alcohol or substance abuse. The poor specificity of the DST in this patient population suggests that its routine use in such patients could be highly misleading.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0007-1250
- Volume :
- 147
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 4075031
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.147.4.419