title: A 2-year follow-up study of patients participating in our transcranial pulsating electromagnetic fields augmentation in treatment-resistant depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have made a 2-year follow-up study to evaluate the effect of repeated transcranial pulsating electromagnetic fields (T-PEMF) augmentation in patients who had achieved remission but later on relapsed, as well as to identify factors contributing to treatment-resistant depression in patients who did not respond to T-PEMF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Longitudinal Expert Assessment of All Data approach the patients were classified in four groups: A: patients who achieved remission; B: patients with doubtful effect; C: patients with no effect; and D: patients who were hard-to-assess.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A, comprising 27 patients, 13 had relapsed; they obtained a clear remission after a repeated course of T-PEMF augmentation. In group D, comprising 16 patients, we identified misdiagnostic factors both concerning the event of remission after the previous T-PEMF augmentation and concerning the aetiology (psychosocial stressors and co-morbid conditions). Compared with the other groups, the group D patients had a smaller number of previous episodes (p=0.09) and a longer duration of the current episode (p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T-PEMF has an effect among patients who relapsed after remission with the first series of T-PEMF. Treatment-resistant depression is a condition that has a high degree of multivariate problems. Misuse of alcohol or drugs, severe somatic disorders and other psychosocial problems may need other kinds of treatment before T-PEMF augmentation.
authors.affiliation: 1Psychiatric Research Unit,Psychiatric Centre North Zealand,Copenhagen University Hospital,Hillerød,Denmark.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bech
authors.affiliation: 1Psychiatric Research Unit,Psychiatric Centre North Zealand,Copenhagen University Hospital,Hillerød,Denmark.
authors.forename: Lone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lindberg
authors.affiliation: 1Psychiatric Research Unit,Psychiatric Centre North Zealand,Copenhagen University Hospital,Hillerød,Denmark.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Straasø
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Affective Disorders,Mood Disorders Research Unit,Aarhus University Hospital,Denmark.
authors.forename: Erik Roj
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*
keywords: treatment-resistant depression