Right unilateral and bifrontal electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of depression: a preliminary study.
The short-term outcome of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was studied in 24 patients with a current major depressive episode (DSM-IV). Patients were randomized to high dose (400% above the seizure threshold) right unilateral (RUL) ECT, to moderate dose (150% above seizure threshold) RUL ECT, and to low dose (just above seizure threshold) bifrontal (BF) ECT. Primary outcome measures included number of treatments, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score, and Mini-Mental State Examination score. High dose RUL ECT was associated with a significantly faster response to treatment than low dose BF ECT. Moreover, there was a tendency to a higher response rate with high dose RUL ECT compared with either moderate dose RUL ECT or BF ECT.
Heikman
Pertti
P
Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. pertti.heikman@hus.fi
Kalska
Hely
H
Katila
Heikki
H
Sarna
Seppo
S
Tuunainen
Arja
A
Kuoppasalmi
Kimmo
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome