[Withdrawal treatment of drug dependent patients with the aim of achieving abstinence].

The treatment of patients who are dependent on drugs is undergoing a conceptual change, and in this connection more attention is being paid to a qualified withdrawal and weaning. More than 200 withdrawals are being performed annually in the U2 section of the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Basel. The authors report on the composition of the patient groups, their withdrawal symptoms and the therapy offered.

Cortisol response to a combined dexamethasone-human corticotrophin-releasing hormone challenge in patients with depression.

Abstract We administered a combined dexamethasone-human corticotrophin-releasing hormone (hCRH) challenge test to 14 in-patients with a major depressive episode and to 14 age-matched controls. After pretreatment with 1.5 mg dexamethasone at 2300 h the day before, 100 mug hCRH was administered iv at 1500 h.