Biomaterial Database

Age, medical illness, and the DST in depressed general hospital inpatients. 1985

B S Fogel, and S L Satel

A dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was administered to 89 general hospital inpatients as part of an evaluation of depressed mood. Among the 55 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), age was positively correlated with postdexamethasone cortisol (r=.317, p=.002 at 4 p.m.). The patients without MDD did not show this effect. Postdexamethasone cortisol concentrations of 15 micrograms/dl or greater were seen in 31% of 32 patients over 60 with MDD; they did not occur in 23 patients under 60 with MDD. The results suggest a clinically relevant effect of age on the DST in patients with MDD.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002908	Chronic Disease	Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2).	Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D003866	Depressive Disorder	An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent.	Depression, Endogenous,Depression, Neurotic,Depression, Unipolar,Depressive Syndrome,Melancholia,Neurosis, Depressive,Unipolar Depression,Depressions, Endogenous,Depressions, Neurotic,Depressions, Unipolar,Depressive Disorders,Depressive Neuroses,Depressive Neurosis,Depressive Syndromes,Disorder, Depressive,Disorders, Depressive,Endogenous Depression,Endogenous Depressions,Melancholias,Neuroses, Depressive,Neurotic Depression,Neurotic Depressions,Syndrome, Depressive,Syndromes, Depressive,Unipolar Depressions
D003907	Dexamethasone	An anti-inflammatory 9-fluoro-glucocorticoid.	Hexadecadrol,Decaject,Decaject-L.A.,Decameth,Decaspray,Dexasone,Dexpak,Hexadrol,Maxidex,Methylfluorprednisolone,Millicorten,Oradexon,Decaject L.A.
D005260	Female		Females
D006760	Hospitalization	The confinement of a patient in a hospital.	Hospitalizations
D006769	Hospitals, General	Large hospitals with a resident medical staff which provides continuous care to maternity, surgical and medical patients.	General Hospital,General Hospitals,Hospital, General
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man