[Dexamethasone suppression test in anorexia nervosa].

In patients suffering from anorexia nervosa (n = 20) a significant correlation was found between pathological DST results and weight loss. In this respect, patients with bulimic symptomatology do not differ from the main anorectic group. In addition, the correlation was unaltered by the length of the disease. These results are interpreted as indicative of secondary regulatory disturbances of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-adrenal axis, whereas they are inconsistent with a close connection between anorexia nervosa and endogenous depression. As demonstrated by other authors, weight change exerts an influence on DST results in endogenous depression as well.