title: Treatment Options in Severe Psychotic Depression.
abstract: In our sample of 15 hospitalized patients with severe psychotic depression, six responded to therapy with tricyclic antidepressants combined with neuroleptics. Of the nine nonresponders, eight showed an excellent clinical response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The clinical outcome after 6 months of treatment was similar in both groups. We recommend that protracted, complicated trials of pharmacotherapy be reevaluated in psychotic depression. A prospective comparative study of ECT and pharmacotherapy is needed to define the optimal treatment for psychotic depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Arifulla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stowell
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Capwell
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: David L.
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dunner