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Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
Published on: April 11, 2019
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A Retrospective Matched Comparison Study of Prolonged Seizures in ECT
Keith Isenberg, Stephen H Dinwiddie1, Jing Song2
1Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
The Journal of ECT
|August 2, 2023
Summary
Prolonged seizures are uncommon in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Antipsychotic medications may offer protection, and these seizures do not typically impact treatment course or lead to serious complications.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for severe psychiatric disorders.
- Prolonged seizures are a potential, though infrequent, complication of ECT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of prolonged seizures (>180 seconds) during ECT.
- To identify risk factors associated with prolonged seizures in adult patients undergoing ECT.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 6697 ECT treatments in 611 adult patients.
- Matched case-control analysis comparing patients with prolonged seizures to a control group.
- Statistical analysis using conditional logistic regression and exact McNemar tests.
Main Results:
- Prolonged seizures occurred in approximately 1 in 167 ECT treatments.
- No specific psychiatric or medical diagnoses were linked to prolonged seizures.
- Antipsychotic medication use was associated with a lower incidence of prolonged seizures, suggesting a protective effect.
Conclusions:
- Prolonged seizures are a rare complication of ECT in adults.
- Limited association found between examined patient characteristics and prolonged seizures.
- Management of prolonged seizures was straightforward, with no adverse sequelae or progression to status epilepticus observed.
