Bifrontal electroconvulsive therapy in the elderly: a 2-year retrospective

The Journal of ECT
John D LittleMichelle Orr

Abstract

We sought to examine the clinical effect of bifrontal (BF) electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressed patients aged 65 years and older. A retrospective chart review of all patients who received BF ECT for a depressive disorder between January 2000 and December 2002 was made. Fourteen patients, with a mean age of 73.9 years, received BF ECT. Nine had unipolar and 5 had bipolar depression. Twelve patients (86%) responded unequivocally after a mean of 8.5 treatments. Five (35%) experienced cognitive side effects. Ninety-two percent of patients were discharged on lithium (0.6 mmol/L) with 86% also receiving antidepressants or antipsychotics. Only 1 patient relapsed, the remainder remaining well at follow-up after a mean of 18.7 months. BF ECT was found to be clinically effective and associated with cognitive side effects in elderly patients who were experiencing a depressive episode of either unipolar or bipolar origin.

References

May 1, 1993·Psychological Medicine·F J LetemendiaD W Lywood
Jun 23, 1999·The Journal of ECT·C H Kellner, W V McCall
Jan 5, 2000·The American Journal of Psychiatry·S H BailineS Pollack
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Apr 2, 2002·The Journal of ECT·Richard Abrams
Jun 21, 2003·BMJ : British Medical Journal·Diana RoseJonathan Bindman
Jun 27, 2003·Lancet

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Citations

Mar 4, 2006·Current Psychiatry Reports·Robert Kohn, Gary Epstein-Lubow
Sep 17, 2005·The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry·Hanfried Helmchen
Dec 14, 2004·The Journal of ECT·John D LittleAbdul Khalid
Jun 22, 2010·The Journal of ECT·Charles H KellnerJessica Wiegand
Mar 5, 2021·The Journal of ECT·Nicholas MorcosDaniel F Maixner

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