Dexamethasone Suppression Test During Active Psychotic State of Schizophrenia

Keimyung Medical Journal 1987;6(2):300-306.

정신분열증 경과중 Dexamethasone 억제 검사의 변화

박영남; 강석헌

Abstract

To understand the relationship between DST and psychiatric symptoms in schizophrenia; 25-hospitalized schizophrenic patients underwent DST during 1st week and 4th week of their hospitalization along with BPRS; HRSD and BDI at the same time. There were no significant differences between mean baseline Cortisol levels at first week (8.90+4.08/ig/dl) an;d 4th week (8.06+3.95^g/dl) but mean postdexamethasone Cortisol levels were significantly higher at first week (4.23+3.45/jg/dI) than at forth week'(1.80±2.25/(g/dl). When DST nonsuppression was defined as above 5jug/dl of postdexamethasone Cortisol level; 9 of 25 (36%) at first week and 2 of 25 (8%) at 4th week were nonsuppressors. There were no significant differnces of total scores of each of BPRS; HRSD and BDI between nonsuppressors and suppressors. Among individual symptoms; tension; somatic concern and anxiety of BPRS; and somatic anxiety and psychic anxiety of HRSD were higher in nonsuppressors. Those symptoms that were higher in nonsuppressors were not the essential symptoms of either schizopprenia or depression. This result support the hypothesis that DST nonsuppression in schizophrenia was resulted from nonspecific stress reaction.