Electroconvulsive therapy: predictors and trends in utilization from 1976 to 2000.
BACKGROUND
Use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may have changed during the last decades due to advances in psychopharmacology and organizational changes of psychiatric care.


OBJECTIVE
To identify predictors for receiving ECT for the first time and to describe temporal trends in ECT utilization.


METHODS
A register-based case-control study. The sample included 2010 cases treated with ECT between 1976 and 2000 and 148,284 controls.


RESULTS
Predictors for receiving first ECT were unipolar affective disorders, long admissions, and no previous admissions. Significantly fewer patients with bipolar and schizoaffective disorders received the treatment in 2000 compared with 1976.


CONCLUSIONS
Unipolar affective disorders, long duration of admissions, and no history of previous admissions are strong predictors of receiving first ECT. Despite a decrease in available inpatient beds, the treatment is used in 5.5% of admissions, and during the last 15 years of the study period, ECT utilization has been remarkably stable.
Munk-Olsen
Trine
T
National Centre for Register-based Research, University of Aarhus, Taasingegade 1, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. tmo@ncrr.dk
Laursen
Thomas Munk
TM
Videbech
Poul
P
Rosenberg
Raben
R
Mortensen
Preben Bo
PB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors