Volume 6, Issue 2 pp. 191-198
Article
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Urinary free cortisol and response to the dexamethasone suppression test in bulimia: A pilot study

Dr. James I. Hudson M. D.

Corresponding Author

Dr. James I. Hudson M. D.

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Harvard Medical School

Laboratories for Psychiatric Research, Mclean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02178Search for more papers by this author
David L. Katz M. D.

David L. Katz M. D.

Clinical Fellow in Psychiatry

Harvard Medical School

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Harrison G. Pope Jr. M. D.

Harrison G. Pope Jr. M. D.

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Harvard Medical School

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Margo S. Hudson M. D.

Margo S. Hudson M. D.

Clinical Instructor in Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine

Harvard Medical School

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George T. Griffing M. D.

George T. Griffing M. D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Harvard Medical School

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James C. Melby M. D.

James C. Melby M. D.

Professor of Medicine

Harvard Medical School

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Abstract

Previous studies have reported that patients with bulimia often display nonsuppressed responses to the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), suggesting that bulimia may be associated with hypercortisolism. To further evaluate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in bulimia, 24-hour urinary free cortisol (UFC) levels and response to the 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) were assessed in 7 normal-weight women with bulimia by DSM-III criteria. All subjects displayed normal UFC levels and nonsuppressed responses to the DST.

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