Normalization of the Dexamethasone Suppression Test at Discharge From Hospital: Its Prognostic Value

14 patients with RDC diagnosis of primary, endogenous, major depressive disorder were studied in an inpatient setting. All were non-suppressors on the Dexamethasone Suppression Test on admission to hospital & were retested at discharge. Over 70% of patients were non-suppressors at discharge. 4 out of 14 converted to normal suppression. All 10 of the non-normalizers did poorly on follow-up: 3 committed suicide. All normalizers did well.