Citation

Jokinen J, Carlborg A, Forslund K, Nordström AL, Nordström P. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 135.

Affiliation

Karolinska Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. jussi.jokinen@sll.se.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964117

Abstract

Most prospective studies of suicidal behaviour and HPA axis function in mood disorder patients using the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) found that those who complete suicide during follow-up are more likely to be DST non-suppressors. The aim of our study was to assess the predictive value of the dexamethasone suppression test for future completed suicide in a group of depressed inpatients. Methods: 382 patients with mood disorder admitted to the department of Psychiatry at the Karolinska Hospital between 1980 and 2000 were diagnosed according to DSM III and IV and submitted to the DST. One mg of dexamethasone was given orally at 11:00 p.m., and plasma cortisol levels were determined from blood samples drawn the following day at 8:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. and 11 p.m. All patients were followed up for the cause of death. The predictive value of non-suppressor status (cortisol level 50g/dl or above in any sample following day) for future completed suicide was analysed. Results: DST non-suppression predicted overall mortality but not suicide. Conclusions: In this large sample of depressed inpatients DST non-suppressor status did not predict future suicide. Further work on refining biological predictors and integration with clinical predictors is needed.

Language: en