Saliva cortisol levels following dexamethasone administration in endogenously depressed patients.

Saliva and serum cortisol levels were measured in 11 patients with primary major depression, endogenous subtype, and in 9 control subjects before and 8, 16, and 24 hours after dexamethasone administration (1.0 mg p.o.). Six of the 20 subjects had postdexamethasone serum cortisol concentrations greater than 50 ng/ml and thus were considered "escapers" from dexamethasone suppression. These six subjects also had saliva cortisol concentrations which were significantly elevated compared to those of the suppressors. Measurement of saliva cortisol holds promise as a non-invasive technique for assessing CNS-pituitary-adrenal function in endogenously depressed patients.