OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to assess dexamethasone for the
treatment of depression. METHOD: Thirty-seven outpatients (11 men and 26
women) meeting DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive disorder were
randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 4 mg/day of oral
dexamethasone for 4 days. Baseline Hamilton depression scale scores were
compared with scores obtained 14 days after the first dose of study
medication. Data were analyzed by using two-sample t tests, chi- square
methods, and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Seven (37%) of the 19 patients
given dexamethasone but only one (6%) of the 18 patients given placebo
responded positively. No adverse events or side effects were reported, and
all patients who entered the study completed it. CONCLUSIONS: A brief
course of oral dexamethasone (4 days) was significantly more effective than
placebo within 14 days for the treatment of depression in a randomized,
double-blind study of depressed outpatients.Abstract Teaser