[en] INTRODUCTION: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a widely recognized treatment for severe depressive disorders, particularly in cases of inadequate response to pharmacological interventions or when rapid symptom relief is essential. Although ECT demonstrates high efficacy, a notable proportion of patients relapse after a successful ECT course.
METHODS: This study investigated clinical baseline characteristics and residual depressive symptoms associated with relapse - defined as a Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score >15, restart of ECT, or suicide attempt - within six months after successful ECT. Data were obtained from the PROTECT study, a single-site, prospective cohort study conducted at the University Psychiatric Center Duffel, Belgium.
RESULTS: - Among the 65 patients who completed the ECT course, 40 patients (62%) achieved remission. At six months, 32 patients were reassessed, and 18 (56%) of them experienced relapse. No significant associations were identified between relapse and baseline factors, including age, social circumstances, baseline depression severity, psychomotor symptoms, cognitive functioning, treatment resistance, lithium use, or the presence of psychotic or melancholic features. Residual depressive symptoms at the end of the ECT course also did not predict relapse.
DISCUSSION: - The observed high relapse rate underscores the critical need for robust continuation and maintenance strategies following ECT. Future research should prioritize larger cohorts to better identify predictors of relapse and optimize post-ECT treatment protocols.
Disciplines :
Psychiatry
Author, co-author :
van Diermen, Linda ; Department of Psychiatry, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) and Antwerp University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Psychiatric Center Bethanië, A. Vesaliuslaan 39, 2980, Zoersel, Belgium. Electronic address: Linda.vandiermen@uantwerpen.be
Lambrichts, Simon ; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
Berwouts, Jesse ; StatUa Center for Statistics, University of Antwerp, Belgium
Hebbrecht, Kaat; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
van den Ameele, Seline; Department of Psychiatry, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) and Antwerp University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium
Coppens, Violette; Department of Psychiatry, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) and Antwerp University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Department of Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Center Duffel, Duffel, Belgium
Schrijvers, Didier; Department of Psychiatry, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) and Antwerp University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Department of Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Center Duffel, Duffel, Belgium
Birkenhäger, Tom ; Department of Psychiatry, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) and Antwerp University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Language :
English
Title :
Challenges in maintaining remission after ECT - Insights from a six-month follow up study.
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