Dexamethasone suppression test in alcoholism.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function was investigated in alcoholic patients using the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Seventy-two patients were studied when they had been abstinent from alcohol for 3 to 6 weeks. Eight patients undergoing detoxification and 79 control subjects were investigated for comparison. Alcoholic patients after a 3- to 6-week abstinence period showed significantly higher prevalence of abnormal DST results (28%) than control subjects (11%). Patients undergoing detoxification showed even a higher prevalence of abnormal DST results (62%). Abnormal DST status was not associated with the presence of depression in these patients but was associated with abnormal liver function. It is supposed that abnormal DST responses in alcoholic patients are not diagnostic of depression but appear to be related to effects of alcohol either on liver metabolism or on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function or both.