Psychotic and nonpsychotic depression: comparison of response to ECT

The charts of 46 patients who underwent ECT in a teaching hospital between 1980 and 1986 were reviewed. All patients were suffering from major depression, with or without psychotic features, and were resistant to pharmacotherapy. Response to ECT was compared between those with psychotic features (N = 27) and those without psychotic features (N = 19). Both groups had equal and effective response to ECT. Therefore, the presence of psychotic features was not significant in predicting response to ECT.