title: Electroconvulsive therapy practice in Poland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study reported herein was to determine the characteristics of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) practice in Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 20-item questionnaire was sent to all Polish inpatient psychiatric facilities including all academic centers, general hospital psychiatric wards and psychiatric institutions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each of the 58 departments (100%) replied by mail or by phone. A total of 25 departments indicated the use of ECT, but only in 20 departments was it administered regularly. Altogether, 435 patients (0.79% of all inpatients) were treated with ECT in Poland during 2005. The main indications of ECT were affective disorders. Bitemporal electrode placement was used twice or 3 times a week in each setting. Anesthesia was usually induced either with thiopental or propofol. The wide variations in the investigations for pre-ECT evaluation reflect the lack of a generally accepted ECT protocol in Poland.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of ECT use in Poland is among the lowest in the Central-East European region, which raises the possibility that many patients who otherwise would greatly benefit from ECT do not receive this treatment.
authors: Consultation-Liaison Psychiatric Service, Szt. László Hospital, Gyáli út 5-7, Budapest, Hungary. gazdag@lamb.hu
authors: Gábor
authors: G
authors: Gazdag
authors: Danuta
authors: D
authors: Palinska
authors: Iwona
authors: I
authors: Kloszewska
authors: Tomas
authors: T
authors: Sobow
mesh_terms: D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D011044:Poland; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires