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Harvey Sternbach, MD; Harry Gwirtsman, MD; Robert H. Gerner, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1981;38(3):363.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

In reference to the Schlesser et al article, "Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity in Depressive Illness: Its Relationship to Classification" (ARCHIVES 1980;37:737-743), the conclusions drawn by the authors do not appear to be valid based on the methodology used in their study. Carroll et al¹ have shown that most patients with "endogenomorphic" depression did not show escape from dexamethasone suppression of cortisol until late afternoon (4 PM) or evening (12 AM) on the day following dexamethasone administration. This point was also brought up by Brown and Shuey in their article, "Response to Dexamethasone and Subtype of Depression," which appeared in the same issue of the ARCHIVES (1980;37:747-751).

The methodology used by Schlesser et al (ie, measuring only the 8 AM cortisol levels after dexamethasone administration) could have missed a substantial proportion of patients with familial pure depressive disease (FPDD), sporadic depressive disease (SDD), or depressive spectrum disease (DSD), . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
Department of Psychiatry University of California at Los Angeles—Neuropsychiatric Institute 760 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90024

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