Electroconvulsive therapy in a Hungarian academic centre (1999-2010)

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Medical History

Background:

• The Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Semmelweis University (DPPSU) has a long history of leading convulsive therapy in Hungary since the 1930s.
• This study examines electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) utilization patterns at DPPSU over an 11-year period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the pattern of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) use at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Semmelweis University (DPPSU) between 1999 and 2009.
• To analyze trends and patient demographics associated with ECT administration in a Hungarian academic psychiatric center.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records for all patients who received ECT at DPPSU from 1999 to 2009.
• Data collected included patient demographics, diagnoses, number of ECT sessions, and stimulation parameters.

Main Results:

• Out of 28,230 admitted patients, 457 (1.6%) received ECT.
• Schizophrenia was the most common diagnosis (over 50%) among ECT recipients.
• Female patients received ECT disproportionately more than males, exceeding expectations based on diagnostic distribution.

Conclusions:

• ECT use demonstrated a declining trend in this Hungarian academic center during the first decade of the 21st century.
• ECT was primarily employed as a last resort for treatment-resistant patients, with a low mean number of sessions across diagnostic groups.
• Bifronto-temporal brief pulse stimulation was the predominant method, with seizures monitored by EEG and EMG.