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Although dexamethasone has had a somewhat spotty role in the assessment of depression (via the dexamethasone suppression test), it may still find a place in the management of depression -- as a therapeutic agent. After previous uncontrolled findings that intravenous dexamethasone had a positive effect on the mood of depressed patients, these investigators randomized 37 outpatients with DSM-III-R major depression to receive oral dexamethasone (4 mg/day for four days) or placebo.
The 11 men and 36 women ranged from 20 to 67 years old and had Hamilton depression scale (HAM-D) scores over 20. All patients were carefully screened to exclude patients with medical problems, current medication use, or psychiatric co-morbidity. The patients were remi…