title: [Efficacy of continuation and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (c/m ECT) in the treatment of patients with therapy-resistant affective disorders: a retrospective analysis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Continuation and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (c/m ECT) is a long-term treatment option in severely and chronically ill patients with mood disorders, who are unresponsive or intolerant to medication. Due to the current lack of empirical studies, c/m ECT is still a clinical tool with little evidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients' charts who received c/m ECT over a 10-year period. Outcome was measured by comparing the number of pre-c/m ECT and post-c/m ECT hospitalizations, as well as inpatient days per year and mean duration of hospital stays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 19 patients (63% female; mean age 53.5 ± 12.0 years) with either bipolar (42%) or unipolar (58%) mood disorder, with the majority of patients suffering from a depressive episode at hospital admission (95%), c/m ECT was initiated after a successful series of ECT. In a 5-year interval before and after starting c/m ECT the number of hospitalizations per year (0.87 vs. 0.28, p < 0.001), inpatient days per year (30.8 vs. 4.5 days, p < 0.001), as well as the mean duration of hospital days (30.5 vs. 16.7 days, p = 0.02) decreased significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data support previous results showing that c/m ECT is an efficacious option in treating and favourably altering the course of therapy-resistant affective disorders. Further research using a controlled study design and larger sample sizes are needed to convincingly define indication and performance of c/m ECT.
authors.affiliation: Department Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Österreich. thomas.post@uki.at.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Post
authors.affiliation: Department Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kemmler
authors.affiliation: Department Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: Tristan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krassnig
authors.affiliation: Department Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.affiliation: Department Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Österreich.
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hausmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001317:Austria; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: affective disorders; electroconvulsive therapy; maintenance and continuation therapy; therapy resistance