Influence of age and relative weight on cortisol suppression in normal subjects.

The authors examined the effects of certain nonpsychiatric variables on dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results. Sixty physically healthy, nondepressed, nondemented adults participated in a standard outpatient 1-mg DST. Postdexamethasone plasma cortisol concentrations were higher in older subjects and were lower in more obese subjects. The authors conclude that age and relative weight influence cortisol suppression in healthy subjects.