Dexamethasone suppression test combined with total sleep deprivation in depressed patients.

The effect of one night's total sleep deprivation (SD) on the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was studied in groups of endogenously and nonendogenously depressed patients who were diagnosed according to different research classification systems. The DST was normal (less than 5 micrograms/dl) before and after SD in the group of nonendogenously depressed patients. Deterioration, no change or only slight clinical response in single items occurred. In the group of endogenous depressives 8 out of 11 were baseline nonsuppressors (greater than 5 micrograms/dl). After SD a large variability of cortisol nonsuppression was found in this group. Clinical response occurred in the majority of these patients but was more favorable in those who had a trend for normalization of DST. Clinical diagnosis as well as DST seem to have a therapy-predictive value for one night's total SD in patients with affective disorders.