Bifrontal electroconvulsive therapy in the elderly: a 2-year retrospective.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine the clinical effect of bifrontal (BF) electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressed patients aged 65 years and older.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of all patients who received BF ECT for a depressive disorder between January 2000 and December 2002 was made.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients, with a mean age of 73.9 years, received BF ECT. Nine had unipolar and 5 had bipolar depression. Twelve patients (86%) responded unequivocally after a mean of 8.5 treatments. Five (35%) experienced cognitive side effects. Ninety-two percent of patients were discharged on lithium (0.6 mmol/L) with 86% also receiving antidepressants or antipsychotics. Only 1 patient relapsed, the remainder remaining well at follow-up after a mean of 18.7 months.


CONCLUSIONS
BF ECT was found to be clinically effective and associated with cognitive side effects in elderly patients who were experiencing a depressive episode of either unipolar or bipolar origin.
Little
John D
JD
Grampians Psychiatric Service, Victoria, Australia. LesleyH@bhs.org.au
Atkins
Martin R
MR
Munday
Jo
J
Lyall
Gordon
G
Greene
Dennis
D
Chubb
Graeme
G
Orr
Michelle
M
D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome