ECT use in unipolar and bipolar depression.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have compared response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressed patients with unipolar and bipolar disorder.


METHODS
We reviewed the charts of inpatients with unipolar or bipolar depression who received open treatment with right unilateral ECT. We compared the number of treatments, demographics, and change in Global Assessment of Functioning scores and length of hospital stay in both groups.


RESULTS
Whereas changes in Global Assessment of Functioning scores and length of stay overlapped, the number of treatments in patients with bipolar disorder (mean ± SD, 7.5 ± 1.6) was lower than that in patients with unipolar disorder (mean ± SD, 10.2 ± 1.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Fewer ECT treatments may be required to achieve similar benefit in patients with bipolar disorder compared to patients with unipolar disorder.
Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. smd9004@med.cornell.edu
Smita
S
Agarkar
Stephen
S
Hurt
Sarah
S
Lisanby
Robert C
RC
Young
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003710:Demography; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome