title: [Maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in elderly psychotic unipolar depression].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of continuation/maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in elderly psychotic major depressed patients after ECT remission.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a longitudinal randomized single-blind design, we compared the two-year outcome of two subgroups of psychotic unipolar depressed elderly patients who were ECT remitters: one treated with a maintenance nortriptyline regimen (n = 13) and one treated with combined maintenance ECT plus nortriptyline (n = 6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 2 years of maintenance treatment in elderly psychotic unipolar depressed ECT remitters, relapse/recurrence rates were significantly higher in the nortriptyline subgroup than in the combined ECT plus nortriptyline subgroup. The tolerability of both treatments was similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the use of combined maintenance ECT and antidepressant treatment in elderly psychotic unipolar depressed patients who are ECT remitters.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Clínico de Psiquiatría y Psicología, Hospital Clínic, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Cristóbal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gastó
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blanch
authors.forename: Guillem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masana
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D009661:Nortriptyline