Oral contraceptives and the dexamethasone suppression test

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 37 - 43
• Main Authors: Ansseau, Marc, Leboulle, Didier, Sulon, José, von Frenckell, Remy, Legros, Jean-Jacques
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1993; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; analysis; Belgium; Biological and medical sciences; Biology; Contraception; Contraceptive Methods; Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal - adverse effects; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Developed Countries; Dexamethasone; Dexamethasone Acetate; Endocrine System; Europe; Examinations And Diagnoses; Family Planning; Female; Hormones; Human; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hydrocortisone - blood; Laboratory Examinations And Diagnoses; Laboratory Procedures; Medical sciences; Mood disorders; Oral Contraceptives; Physiology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Sciences sociales & comportementales, psychologie; Social & behavioral sciences, psychology; Traitement & psychologie clinique; Treatment & clinical psychology; Western Europe; Human; Mood disorder; Corticosteroid; Methodology; Estrogen; Depression; Psychometrics; Cortisol; Test reliability; Dexamethasone test; Depression Inventory Beck; Adrenal hormone; Contraceptive; Woman; Sex steroid hormone; Dexamethasone Acetate; Adrenal Cortex Hormones > analysis; Laboratory Examinations And Diagnoses; Europe; Biology; Contraception; Hormones; Laboratory Procedures; Family Planning; Examinations And Diagnoses; Endocrine System; Western Europe; Developed Countries; Belgium; Contraceptive Methods; Physiology; Oral Contraceptives
• ISSN: 0306-4530; 1873-3360; 1873-3360
• DOI: 10.1016/0306-4530(93)90053-N

Among other confounding factors, the influence of the intake of estrogen-containing oral contraceptives on the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results has never been specifically studied. Therefore, we performed 1 mg DST's in 14 healthy women taking oral contraceptives and 14 age-matched women taking no oral contraceptives. Mean 0800h basal total cortisol was significantly higher among the women taking contraceptives than in the control group, whereas mean free cortisol did not significantly differ. At 1600h following DST, no significant difference existed between the two groups. Two subjects taking contraceptives and one control subject were considered DST nonsuppressors. These results confirm the powerful influence of oral contraceptives on basal total cortisol levels but suggest a lack of significant influence on DST results.