Use of continuation or maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in adolescents with severe treatment-resistant depression

Retrospective data are presented for 6 adolescents ranging in age from 14 to 17 years, who were diagnosed with severe treatment-resistant major depression (TRD). Subjects were treated with one or more index courses of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) followed by continuation ECT (C-ECT, up to 6 months of ECT) or maintenance ECT (M-ECT; ECT beyond 6 months) when necessary. Electroconvulsive therapy was continued until remission or until minimal residual symptoms were evident. Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy were reintroduced during C-ECT or M-ECT. Premorbid functioning was achieved by 5 of 6 cases. Cognitive deficits were not evident. In fact, comparison of pre-ECT and post-ECT neuropsychological functioning revealed a trend toward improved auditory and verbal memory on most of the results. We concluded that C-ECT and M-ECT are useful and safe treatment strategies for selected adolescents with severe treatment-resistant depression, and symptom remission may be achieved without experiencing cognitive impairment.     

Role of electroconvulsive therapy in treating schizophrenia

Almost half a century has elapsed since the initial application of ECT in psychiatric clinic. It is currently, debatable whether or not ECT in still applicable in schizophrenia, though its effects for manic-depressive disorders is well established. The authors summarized their experiences in evaluating 300 cases, one half use antipsychotic drugs alone and the other half use drugs with ECT it was found that combined therapy favors both groups of patients with aggressiveness or excitement and group with negativism or catatonia as compared in a duration of 2 weeks, whereas patients with hallucinations of suicidal attempts also benefited in 4 weeks' term. On the contrary the combined therapy in the long run is of no value in patients with delusion.     

Practice parameter for use of electroconvulsive therapy with adolescents

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be an effective treatment for adolescents with severe mood disorders and other Axis I psychiatric disorders when more conservative treatments have been unsuccessful. ECT may be considered when there is a lack of response to two or more trials of pharmacotherapy or when the severity of symptoms precludes waiting for a response to pharmacological treatment. The literature on ECT in adolescents, including studies and case reports, was reviewed and then integrated into clinically relevant guidelines for practitioners. Mood disorders have a high rate of response to ECT (75%-100%), whereas psychotic disorders have a lower response rate (50%-60%). Consent of the adolescent's legal guardian is mandatory, and the patient's consent or assent should be obtained. State legal guidelines and institutional guidelines must be followed. ECT techniques associated with the fewest adverse effects and greatest efficacy should be used. The presence of comorbid psychiatric disorder is not a contraindication. Systematic pretreatment and posttreatment evaluation, including symptom and cognitive assessment, is recommended.     

Use of electroconvulsive therapy in adolescence

Few studies report the use of ECT in adolescents. Within a period of 3 years, 9 patients aged 15 to 19 were treated by ECT in our department. Indications were acute schizophrenia, delusional depression and delusional mania, resistant to usual medication. ECT proved to be a safe treatment with good short-term outcome. Long-term outcome did not seem to be modified by treatment. These results are discussed in relation to the use of ECT in adults and adolescents reported in the literature.     

Etomidate versus propofol for electroconvulsive therapy in patients with schizophrenia

Among drugs used for the anesthesia of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), propofol reduces seizure duration to a greater degree than etomidate. The perceived difference between the 2 anesthetics is smaller in patients with schizophrenia than in patients who suffer depression. In this study, propofol and etomidate were compared during the ECT of patients with schizophrenia, on the basis of their impact on seizure activity and on seizure-induced hemodynamic reactions. Schizophrenics (n = 34) who were treated with ECT participated in this randomized crossover study. Propofol (1 mg/kg) and etomidate (0.2 mg/kg) were used alternately. The 2 drugs were compared on the basis of EEG- and EMG-registered seizure duration, mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse frequency, energy index, and postictal suppression. We also analyzed the number of necessary restimulations. In case of anesthesia with etomidate, both EEG- (61.29 +/- 22.4 s, 47.9 +/- 21.3 s P = 0.014) and EMG- (46.3 +/- 23.8 s, 33.6 +/- 15.9 s P = 0.006) registered seizure durations were significantly longer than in case of propofol. When using propofol, the increase in MAP was significantly lower than when etomidate was used (8.1 +/- 10.2 mm Hg, 18.3 +/- 11.2 mm Hg, P = 0.001). There were no significant differences found in the postseizure increase in pulse frequency, in postictal suppression, or in the energy index, nor did the numbers of necessary restimulations differ significantly. Propofol was found to reduce seizure duration to a significantly greater extent than etomidate. At the same time, in electrophysiological parameters that show a correlation with clinical efficacy, there was no significant difference found between the 2 anesthetics. However, the seizure-induced increase in MAP was reduced by propofol to a significantly greater degree than by etomidate.     

无抽搐电休克治疗难治性精神分裂症的临床研究

目的 了解无抽搐电休克治疗（MECT）对难治性精神分裂症（TRS）的疗效与不良反应。方法 对78例TRS患者在原服用抗精神病药物基础上合并MECT治疗,分别于合并治疗前后采用阳性与阴性症状量表（PANSS）、副反应量表（TESS）、韦氏记忆量表（WMS）评定疗效及不良反应。结果 合并MECT后省PANSS评分明显降低（P〈0.01）WMS评分在治疗结束后1d明显降低,1周及2周时恢复。结论 MECT对TRS有效,不良反应少。     

无抽搐电休克治疗——无抽搐电休克对难治性精神分裂症的增效作用

目的：探讨无抽搐电休克治疗（MECT）对难治性精神分裂症的疗效和安全性。方法：76例难治性精神分裂症患者随机分为合用组（药物联合MECT）和单用组（单用药物治疗），每组各38例。合用组自药物治疗3周起增加MECT，疗程12周。采用阳性与阴性症状量表（PANSS）和治疗中出现的症状量表（TESS）评定疗效和不良反应;韦氏记忆量表（WMS）评定MECT对记忆力的影响。结果：合用组总有效率84.2%和显效率55.3%显著高于单用组的60.5%和31.6%（χ^2=4.34，5.33;P均〈0.05）;两组PANSS总分及各因子分均较治疗前有显著下降（P均〈0.01），以合用组显著低于单用组（P〈0.01或P〈0.05）;WMS评分与治疗前比较差异无显著性（P〉0.05）。两组不良反应发生率和TESS评分差异无显著性（P〉0.05）。结论：MECT对难治性精神分裂症有较好的增效作用，不良反应少。     

无抽搐电休克治疗难治性精神分裂症临床观察

目的:了解无抽搐电休克治疗(MECT)对难治性精神分裂症的疗效与不良反应。方法:对39例难治性精神分裂症患者在原服用抗精神病药基础上合并MECT治疗,分别于合并治疗前后采用阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)及副反应量表(TESS),韦氏记忆量表(WMS)评定疗效及不良反应。结果:合并MECT后PANSS评分明显降低(P<0.01),WMS评分在治疗结束后1d明显降低,1周及2周时恢复。结论:MECT对难治性精神分裂症有效,不良反应少。     

Cognitive side effects of electroconvulsive therapy in adolescents

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to determine the presence of cognitive impairments among adolescents treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and whether these deficits would persist several months following the treatment. METHODS: Retrospective data resulting from standard clinical care of a convenience sample with naturalistic follow-up were used. Subjects were 16 adolescents (13 females, 3 males; mean age = 15.9 +/- 1.6 years) hospitalized with a mood disorder (unipolar depression = 14, bipolar depression = 2). Cognitive tests administered prior to ECT were compared with results at 7.0 +/- 10.3 days following the last treatment and with a second testing at 8.5 +/- 4.9 months after the last treatment. RESULTS: Comparison of pre-ECT and the first post-ECT testing administered during the first 10 days of the treatment yielded significant impairments of concentration and attention, verbal- and visual-delayed recall, and verbal fluency. A complete recovery of these functions was noted at the second post-ECT testing. There was no deficit in the ability to problem solve during the initial or the subsequent testing. CONCLUSION: Cognitive parameters found to be impaired during the first few days of ECT recovered over several months following the treatment. Therefore, there was no evidence of long-term damage to concentration, attention, verbal and visual memory, or verbal fluency. There were no impairments of motor strength and executive processing, even during the early (within 7-10 days) post-ECT period. These results should be regarded as preliminary, awaiting confirmation with larger samples.     

改良电抽搐治疗难治性精神分裂症的作用

目的:评估氯氮平合并改良电抽搐(MECT)治疗对难治性精神分裂症的临床疗效及安全性。方法:74例难治性精神分裂症患者随机分为两组,联合治疗组37例,在应用氯氮平的基础上联合MECT治疗;单药治疗组37例,仅给予氯氮平治疗;观察12周。分别于治疗前及治疗后4周、8周、12周末采用阳性和阴性症状量表(PANSS),治疗中出现的症状量表(TESS)评定其临床疗效和不良反应;治疗前及治疗结束后ld、1周、2周采用韦氏记忆量表(WMS)评定MECT对记忆的影响。结果:治疗12周后,联合治疗组的PANSS减分率(46.17±16.14)%,临床总有效率为58.7%;单药治疗组的PANSS减分率(32.26±14.27)%,临床总有效率为28.9%,两组差异有显著性(P<0.05或P<0.01)。两组TESS评分差异无显著性(P>0.05)。WMS评分在治疗结束后1d明显降低(P<0.01),但在治疗1周、2周与治疗前差异无显著性(P>0.05)。结论:改良电抽搐治疗联合氯氮平对难治性精神分裂症有效、安全。     

The combined use of electroconvulsive therapy and antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: We sought to review the literature on the use of combined antipsychotic medications and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the treatment of schizophrenia, with regard to efficacy, side effects, and ECT technique. METHODS: A computerized search of the literature published from 1980 to 2004 was conducted on Medline and PsychoInfo using the words schizophrenia, antipsychotic, neuroleptic, psychotropic, and ECT. Only studies including patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia were included. RESULTS: We identified 42 articles including 1371 patients. The majority of the reports consist of uncontrolled studies (n = 31), mostly with typical antipsychotics (n = 23). Results from open studies suggest that the combination of ECT and antipsychotics is a very useful and safe strategy for the treatment of refractory schizophrenia. Double-blind controlled studies (n = 8) were inconclusive. Twelve articles were on the combination of clozapine and ECT. Initial concerns about the safety of the coadministration of clozapine and ECT were not substantiated, but despite the auspicious results from several case reports and 2 open trials, this combination remains understudied. Most studies preferred the bitemporal placement (n = 28), but because of insufficient data derived from direct comparisons, no conclusion on placement superiority can be reached. One study indicates that with the bilateral placement higher electrical dosages yields faster responses in this population. CONCLUSIONS: The body of the data provided by research is still insufficient to allow definitive conclusions on the combination of antipsychotics and ECT. However, the literature reviewed indicates that the combination is a safe and efficacious treatment strategy for patients with schizophrenia, especially those refractory to conventional treatments.     

无抽搐电休克治疗首发精神分裂症患者P300的对照研究

目的：观察无抽搐电休克（MECT）治疗首发精神分裂症患者前后事件相关电位P300的变化,探讨MECT对认知功能的影响。方法：应用美国脑诱发电位仪,对48例精神分裂症患者和50名正常者在MECT治疗前后进行P300检测,观察MECT治疗前后P300的变化。结果：与正常组比较,患者组P300中的靶刺激N2和P3潜伏期延迟（P〈0．01）,靶刺激P3波幅降低（P〈0．05）。患者组经过MECT治疗后P300靶刺激N2和P3潜伏期均有所缩短（P〈0．05）,靶刺激P3波幅升高（P〈0．01）。结论：MECT治疗精神分裂症患者后P300有显著变化,MECT可以改善精神分裂症患者的认知功能。     

Combined electroconvulsive therapy and clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

1. To assess the efficacy and safety of combining electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and clozapine in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, the authors reviewed use of this combination in four treatment-resistant schizophrenic inpatients and one inpatient with schizophrenia who was intolerant of clozapine doses needed to control her psychosis. 2. The combination of clozapine and bilateral ECT was modestly effective in two treatment-resistant patients and markedly effective in three patients. There was significant overall improvement in patients' Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores (p < 0.005 and p < 0.0004, respectively), however in patients where marked symptomatic improvement was noted, effects were not sustained. 3. One of the patients that showed dramatic yet transient improvement followed by relapses received maintenance ECT but relapsed despite this. 4. The authors saw no adverse effects in connection with the combination of ECT and clozapine. 5. Supplementing clozapine with a course of bilateral ECT appears to be safe and is effective in some patients with refractory schizophrenia, however its beneficial effects may be short-lived. The long-term impact of ECT on the course of schizophrenia in patients incompletely responsive to clozapine is not fully elucidated.