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Transcultural approach of depression. Comparative study of the diagnostic performance of the dexamethasone suppression test in São Paulo (Brazil) and Liège (Belgium)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

LM Lucchesi
Affiliation:
Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Hospital do Servidor Público de São Paulo, R. Pedro de Toledo, 1800, São Paulo, SP
MH Fernandes
Affiliation:
Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, 04023-900São Paulo, SP, Brazil
N Silva Junior
Affiliation:
Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, 04023-900São Paulo, SP, Brazil
L Yazigi
Affiliation:
Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, 04023-900São Paulo, SP, Brazil
M Ansseau
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Unit, CHU du Sart Tilman, B-4000Liège
M Timsit-Berthier*
Affiliation:
University Laboratory of Applied Cognitive Psychophysiology, Hôpital Psychiatrique du Petit-Bourgogne, B-4000Liège, Belgium
*
*Correspondance and reprints.
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Summary

We compared the rate of DST non-suppression in two samples of 26 Brazilian and 26 Belgian female depressive patients, matched for age, diagnostic subtype and severity of depression. This rate was significantly lower in São Paulo than in Liège (P = 0.04). The differences observed in DST can be explained by the complexity of familial, personal and clinical factors. A role of a latitude effect through melatonin secretion on adrenocortical function of depressed patients is also suggested.

Type
Original article
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 1994

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