title: Older age is associated with rapid remission of depression after electroconvulsive therapy: a latent class growth analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to empirically identify latent course trajectories of depressive symptoms during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within a cohort of patients suffering from a depressive disorder and to examine putative predictors of course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a prospective cohort multicenter collaborative ECT design, 120 patients fulfilling the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview criteria for major depressive disorder and referred for ECT were selected. Ratings of the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) were obtained weekly during the course of ECT. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify trajectories of course during 6-week follow-up, based on weekly total HRSD scores. Characteristics of the identified classes were examined, and putative predictors for class membership were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data-driven techniques identified distinct course trajectories during 6-week follow-up ECT treatment, consisting of "rapid remission," "moderate response," and "nonremitting" course trajectories. Remission rates were as high as 80.1% in the rapid remission class. Older age was associated with rapid remission, even after adjustment for putative confounders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results strongly confirm the favorable outcome of ECT among elderly depressed inpatients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and the EMGO(+) Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; GGZ inGeest, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: d.rhebergen@ggzingeest.nl.
authors.forename: Didi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rhebergen
authors.affiliation: GGZ inGeest, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huisman
authors.affiliation: ECT Department, University Psychiatric Center, Catholic University Leuven, campus Kortenberg, Kortenberg, Belgium.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bouckaert
authors.affiliation: Parnassia, Psychiatric Institute the Hague, Clinical Center for the Elderly-ECT Department, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: King
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kho
authors.affiliation: Parnassia, Psychiatric Institute the Hague, Clinical Center for the Elderly-ECT Department, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.affiliation: ECT Department, University Psychiatric Center, Catholic University Leuven, campus Kortenberg, Kortenberg, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sienaert
authors.affiliation: Parnassia, Psychiatric Institute the Hague, Clinical Center for the Elderly-ECT Department, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harm-Pieter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Spaans
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and the EMGO(+) Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; GGZ inGeest, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stek
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012074:Remission Induction
keywords: Depression; ECT; latent class growth analysis; prognosis