Understanding electroconvulsive therapy-related anxiety: a prospective study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a vital treatment for severe depression.
• Anxiety related to ECT is common but understudied.
• Understanding anxiety trajectories during ECT is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the course and influencing factors of ECT-related anxiety.
• To analyze anxiety changes throughout the ECT treatment course.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-four patients with unipolar or bipolar depression undergoing ECT were enrolled.
• ECT-related anxiety was measured using the ECT-related Anxiety Questionnaire (ERAQ) before each session.

Main Results:

• Female patients reported higher anxiety than males.
• Patients with psychotic depression experienced higher initial anxiety but showed a significant decrease during ECT.
• Patients with non-psychotic depression maintained stable anxiety levels throughout ECT.
• A significant correlation was found between reduced ECT anxiety and reduced depression severity.

Conclusions:

• ECT-related anxiety exhibits individual differences in its trajectory.
• Psychotic depression subtype is associated with greater initial anxiety and a significant decrease during ECT.
• Anxiety reduction during ECT is linked to depression symptom improvement.
• Further research into anxiety-reducing interventions for ECT is warranted.