Maximal response to electroconvulsive therapy for the treatment of catatonic symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
Because the number of medical lawsuits has recently increased in Japan, doses of medication above the upper limits have recently been avoided, even when treating catatonic patients. We treated catatonic symptoms with drugs within the upper limit of dosage and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to determine the maximal response.


METHODS
We examined 50 consecutive patients with catatonic symptoms admitted to a university hospital during a 32-month period who were treated with either drugs within the upper limit or ECT.


RESULTS
Response rates were as follows: ECT, 100%; chlorpromazine, 68%; risperidone, 26%; haloperidol, 16%; and benzodiazepines, 2%.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicated that ECT is the treatment of choice for catatonic symptoms.
Hatta
Kotaro
K
Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. khatta@med.juntedo.ac.jp
Miyakawa
Koichi
K
Ota
Tsuneyoshi
T
Usui
Chie
C
Nakamura
Hiroyuki
H
Arai
Heii
H
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002389:Catatonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019233:Retreatment; D018967:Risperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012560:Schizophrenia, Catatonic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone; D008140:Lorazepam; D003975:Diazepam