created ssh item with password authentication (see screenshot for item config).
according to server log, item data is returned correctly :

23833:20091110:102420.520 In substitute_simple_macros (data:'ssh.run[echo_1,localhost]')
23833:20091110:102420.521 In get_value() key:'ssh.run[echo_1,localhost]'
23833:20091110:102420.521 In ssh_run()
23833:20091110:102420.632 ssh_run() Supported authentication methods:'publickey,password,keyboard-interactive'
23833:20091110:102420.633 ssh_run() Authentication by password succeeded.
23833:20091110:102420.638 ssh_run() exitcode: 0 bytecount: 2
23833:20091110:102420.638 End of ssh_run():SUCCEED

but nothing is inserted in the database.
changing command to 'echo 11' results in :
"ssh_run() exitcode: 0 bytecount: 3"

this seems to indicate that data is indeed returned and received correctly