The effect of modified electroconvulsive therapy on vasopressin release and haemostasis in man

Plasma concentrations of plasminogen activator activity (PAA) and factor VIII are partly controlled by circulating adrenaline and vasopressin. Acute rises in PAA and factor VIII occur during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). To investigate the relationships between vasopressin (aVP), adrenaline and changes in PAA and factor VIII during ECT, 8 female and 2 male patients, median age 57 years (range 39-75) undergoing modified ECT had venous blood samples taken before and at 2 min, 15 min, 60 min and 24 h after cessation of seizure activity. AVP rose from 0.5 before ECT to 35.5 pg/ml at 2 min (P less than 0.005) and fell thereafter. PAA (10(6)/ECLT2) increased from 22 to 69 units (P less than 0.005) over the same time and fell to 13 units at 24 h (P less than 0.02). Tissue plasminogen activator activity (tPA) rose from 162 before to 1447 mIU/ml at 2 min. (P less than 0.005) and its inhibition activity fell from 8 to 3.75 IU/ml (P less than 0.005) over the same time and rose to 10.4 IU/ml after 24 h (P less than 0.02). There were no changes in adrenaline, noradrenaline, factor VIIIc, vWF or fibrinopeptides A and B beta 15-42. AVP correlated with tPA (rs = 0.64, P = 0.0022) and PAA (rs = 0.61, P = 0.004). These results support the hypothesis that aVP has a role in the regulation of fibrinolytic activity mediated by an increase in tPA. The absence of a factor VIII response may indicate that adrenaline is more important in the regulation of factor VIIIc and vWF.