The authors examined dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and
thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) test results in 32 chronic alcoholics
without depression or hepatic disease to see if alcoholism alone might lead
to positive test results. After 3 weeks of sobriety there were no DST
abnormalities, but blunted TRH test results were observed in eight of the
32 alcoholics. More of the 15 patients also tested during alcohol
withdrawal than of the 20 normal subjects or the 32 alcoholics without
alcohol withdrawal had DST and TRH test abnormalities. When performed after
3 weeks of sobriety, the DST but not the TRH test has potential as a
specific laboratory adjunct in the diagnosis of depression in
alcoholics.Abstract Teaser