Use of ECT for the inpatient treatment of recurrent major depression.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' goals were to determine the frequency and distribution of ECT for general hospital inpatients with recurrent major depression and to estimate the effects of prompt ECT on the length and cost of inpatient care.


METHODS
Data from the 1993 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project were analyzed to determine the rate of ECT use for adult inpatients with a principal discharge diagnosis of major depression, recurrent. Associations between prompt initial use of ECT (in the first 5 hospital days) and length and cost of inpatient care were examined before and after control for sociodemographic, diagnostic, and hospital organizational characteristics.


RESULTS
An estimated 9.4% of general hospital adult inpatients with a principal diagnosis of recurrent major depression received ECT in the survey year. A majority (59.2%) of these received their initial ECT session within the first 5 days after hospital admission. In univariate analyses, the likelihood of receiving ECT was greater for older patients, whites, privately insured individuals, and patients who lived in more affluent areas. Patients who received ECT tended to have relatively long and costly admissions. After control for several demographic, diagnostic, and hospital organizational characteristics, prompt ECT (as compared with delayed ECT or none) was associated with significantly shorter and less costly inpatient care.


CONCLUSIONS
The longer stays and higher treatment costs associated with ECT may be a consequence of patient selection. When patient selection is taken into account, prompt administration of ECT is associated with shorter and less costly hospital stays. Nonetheless, economically disadvantaged patients are relatively unlikely to receive this treatment.
Olfson
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Marcus
S
S
Sackeim
H A
HA
Thompson
J
J
Pincus
H A
HA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006302:Health Services Research; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States