[Does early use of ECT reduce the hospital stay period in major depressive episodes?].
OBJECTIVE
ECT is an effective and safe therapy with fast response for depressive disorders. Nevertheless it's mostly used for therapy resistance. In antidepressive treatments fast response may be related with antidepressive efficacy. We studied, if earlier ECT could result in a shorter hospital stay period after the treatment.


METHODS
The hospital stay period after ECT and CGI-changes of 34 depressed patients with immediate ECT were compared to those of 19 patients, who had to wait for this treatment while being treated conservatively in another psychiatric hospital without ECT-possibility.


RESULTS
Patients with early ECT could be dismitted from hospital at a mean of 57 days after the first ECT, patients who had to wait for this treatment at a mean of 100 days after the first ECT. CGI-changes were similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Early use of ECT may reduce hospital stay periods in depressed patients.
Schwerthöffer
Dirk
D
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie der TU München. kschwerthoeffer@web.de
Wolf
Florian
F
Pitschel-Walz
Gabi
G
Bäuml
Josef
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies