The dexamethasone suppression test and treatment outcome in elderly depressed patients participating in a placebo-controlled multicenter trial involving moclobemide and nortriptyline

Baseline prolactin and L-tryptophan availability predict response to antidepressant treatment in major depression

“…axis dysregulation as measured using the dexamethasone suppression test has been reliably shown to predict non-response to placebo treatment (Ribeiro et al 1993) and in a recent study to predict a poor response to moclobemide compared with nortriptyline (Ng Ying Kin et al 1997). 2.…”

Risk assessment and predicting outcomes in patients with depressive symptoms: a review of potential role of peripheral blood based biomarkers

“…However, only a minority of studies ( n = 14) explored the use of peripheral biomarkers to predict outcomes in patients with depression. Fifteen papers were included for data extraction; which consisted of nine prospective cohort studies (Duval et al, 1996 ; Perez et al, 1998 ; Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Johnston et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Ladwig et al, 2005 ; Binder et al, 2009 ; Jokinen and Nordstrom, 2009 ; Baune et al, 2012 ), three case-control studies (Arolt et al, 2003 ; Baldwin et al, 2006 ; Jang et al, 2008 ), two randomized controlled trials (Kin et al, 1997 ; Raison et al, 2013 ) and one meta-analysis (Ribeiro et al, 1993 ). Full details of included studies are summarized in Table 1 .…”

“…Sample sizes ranged from 8 to 986 with sample sizes of less than 50 participants in00206 studies (Duval et al, 1996 ; Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Johnston et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ; Baldwin et al, 2006 ), while three studies had a sample size of 25 or less (Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ). Follow-up duration ranged from 4 weeks to 18 years with the follow-up duration being less than 6 months in 9 studies(Duval et al, 1996 ; Kin et al, 1997 ; Perez et al, 1998 ; Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ; Jang et al, 2008 ; Binder et al, 2009 ; Raison et al, 2013 ) while only 5 studies followed their subjects for more than 12 months (Johnston et al, 1999 ; Ladwig et al, 2005 ; Baldwin et al, 2006 ; Jokinen and Nordstrom, 2009 ; Baune et al, 2012 ). Six studies used a diagnostic interview technique (Duval et al, 1996 ; Johnston et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ; Baldwin et al, 2006 ; Jang et al, 2008 ) and seven studies used a depression rating scale (Kin et al, 1997 ; Perez et al, 1998 ; Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Ladwig et al, 2005 ; Binder et al, 2009 ; Baune et al, 2012 ; Raison et al, 2013 ) while diagnostic method was not specified in one of the included studies (Jokinen and Nordstrom, 2009 ).…”

“…Follow-up duration ranged from 4 weeks to 18 years with the follow-up duration being less than 6 months in 9 studies(Duval et al, 1996 ; Kin et al, 1997 ; Perez et al, 1998 ; Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ; Jang et al, 2008 ; Binder et al, 2009 ; Raison et al, 2013 ) while only 5 studies followed their subjects for more than 12 months (Johnston et al, 1999 ; Ladwig et al, 2005 ; Baldwin et al, 2006 ; Jokinen and Nordstrom, 2009 ; Baune et al, 2012 ). Six studies used a diagnostic interview technique (Duval et al, 1996 ; Johnston et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ; Baldwin et al, 2006 ; Jang et al, 2008 ) and seven studies used a depression rating scale (Kin et al, 1997 ; Perez et al, 1998 ; Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Ladwig et al, 2005 ; Binder et al, 2009 ; Baune et al, 2012 ; Raison et al, 2013 ) while diagnostic method was not specified in one of the included studies (Jokinen and Nordstrom, 2009 ). The nature of the treatment was specified in nine studies(Duval et al, 1996 ; Kin et al, 1997 ; Perez et al, 1998 ; Alvarez et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ; Jang et al, 2008 ; Binder et al, 2009 ; Raison et al, 2013 ); the relationship between outcome and baseline depression severity was only taken into account in 5 studies (Duval et al, 1996 ; Johnston et al, 1999 ; Lanquillon et al, 2000 ; Arolt et al, 2003 ; Baldwin et al, 2006 ).…”

Drugs and HPA axis

“…Other drugs which may lead to falsely high post-dexamethasone cortisol values are cholinergic agents such as physostigmine and the muscarinic agonist arecoline [156,157], serotonergic agonists, e.g., buspirone [158], citalopram [159], the GABAergic c-hydroxybutyric acid [140] and the lithiumtricyclic antidepressant association [160]. Of note, this effect by lithium could mask recovery of cortisol suppressibility by low doses of dexamethsasone, an index of favorable outcome in depressed patients treated with antidepressants [161].…”