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THE DEXAMETHASONE SUPPRESSION TEST IN NORMAL CONTROL SUBJECTS - COMPARISON OF 2 ASSAYS AND EFFECT OF AGE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY ROSENBAUM, A. H., Schatzberg, A. F., MACLAUGHLIN, R. A., Snyder, K., Jiang, N. S., Ilstrup, D., Rothschild, A. J., KLIMAN, B. 1984; 141 (12): 1550-1555

Abstract

he authors used competitive protein binding assay and radioimmunoassay to measure cortisol levels in 38 normal control subjects three times before and three times after administration of 1 mg of dexamethasone. They found significant interassay differences at 11:00 p.m. before dexamethasone and at all three postdexamethasone times. Analysis of variance revealed significant overall positive relationships between age and cortisol levels measured by both techniques. Age correlated significantly with postdexamethasone cortisol levels measured by radioimmunoassay but not when measured by competitive protein binding assay. Clinicians should obtain data from their laboratories as to appropriate cutoffs for cortisol suppression on the specific assay used.

View details for Web of Science ID A1984TU88500010

View details for PubMedID 6507658