The dexamethasone suppression test in acute mania.

The dexamethasone suppression test was administered to 40 newly admitted manic patients. Twenty-four patients (60%) had abnormal escape from suppression. There was no correlation of DST results with sex, age, age of onset, family history of affective disorder, psychosis during index episode, or duration of hospitalization. DST non-suppressors were significantly more likely than suppressors to be discharged on lithium alone.