Electroconvulsive therapy as an alternative treatment for obese patients with mood disorders

With the increased use of atypical antipsychotic medication in the treatment of mood disorders, patients are increasingly experiencing side effects, such as obesity, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome, which, in turn, increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. Maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) can be used as a prophylaxis for the recurrence of mood episodes for treatment-resistant patients. There are no reports of metabolic syndromes associated with ECT. We reviewed the charts of 10 patients who have received MECT at our institution over the last 10-year period. Five of 10 patients were obese pre-ECT, all of whom had a significant weight loss after ECT. Patients whose weights were normal pre-ECT, did not experience weight loss. Our finding suggests that ECT is a viable alternative for overweight patients with mood disorders who do not respond to mood stabilizers or cannot tolerate side effects.