The authors assessed the relationship between dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results and suicidalideations and behavior. Four-hundred-twenty-three mood disorder patients admitted to a tertiary caremedical center were administered the DST from 1978 to 1981. The patients were subsequently followed upto determine death status using a record-linkage method. More than 44% had abnormal cortisolsuppression (nonsuppressors) at the index admission. Suppressors and nonsuppressors did not differsignificantly with respect to frequency of suicidal ideations or completed suicides. Suppressors weresignificantly more likely than nonsuppressors to have a history of suicide attempts or to have a suicideattempt following hospital discharge. Using logistic regression, and controlling for several important variables including diagnosis, maximum postdexamethasone cortisol was not significantly associated withsuicide, suicidal ideation, or suicide attempts. We conclude that an abnormal DST is not useful as apredictor of suicidal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]