Morning and evening plasma melatonin and dexamethasone suppression test in patients with nonseasonal major depressive disorder from northern Greece (latitude 40-41.5 degrees ).

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to search for correlations between melatonin (MT) levels and the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and clinical variables. METHODS: Fifty depressed patients aged 21-60 years took part in the study. The Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, version 2.0, and the International Personality Disorders Examination were used for diagnosis. Psychometric assessment included the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, the General Assessment of Funtioning Scale, the Newcastle scales and the Diagnostic Melancholia Scale. The DST and 9.00 and 23.00 h MT values were assessed. Statistical analysis included Student's t test, Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and forward stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Melancholic patients had lower 23.00 h MT values in comparison to the rest of the patients and the atypical and 'undifferentiated' patients. CONCLUSION: The current study shows that low MT values were closely related to melancholic depression. Distinct quality of mood, psychomotor agitation or retardation and anorexia or weight loss seemed to be responsible for this relationship.

Islet autoantibodies and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes mellitus (CF-DM) is thought to be secondary to beta-cell destruction by fibrous tissue replacing the exocrine pancreas. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that other factors may also be responsible. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and islet cell (IA-2) antibodies were measured by quantitative ELISA in a group of patients with CF (n=30) in comparison to a group of newly diagnosed DM type 1 (IDDM) patients (n=30) and normal subjects (n=30). GAD antibodies were positive (>32 ng/ml) in 50% of the CF, 93% of the IDDM and 0% of the control group. IA-2 antibodies were detected (>0.9 U/ml) in 40% of the CF, 93% of the IDDM and 0% of the control group. Among the fifteen CF patients with positive GAD and IA-2 antibodies, four already had IDDM and another five abnormally low (<45 mU/l) first phase insulin response (FPIR) indicating a prediabetic state. We conclude that factors other than mechanical may be involved in the development of CFDM. The presence of autoantibodies predicting IDDM supports the hypothesis that CF-DM may have a multifactorial pathogenesis.