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Updated: Jul 6, 2025
Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy
Published on: April 11, 2019
Comparing Methods of Seizure Response Monitoring During Electroconvulsive Therapy: Comparer les méthodes de
Timothy Hierlihy1, Gerald Mugford1, Weldon Bonnell1
1Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Psychiatry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada.
Objective:
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used to treat several mental illnesses. Seizure duration is used to determine if the administered stimulus was adequate. Duration is estimated by electroencephalogram (EEG) interpretation and/or observed motor response (OMR). Neither method is considered the gold standard. This study investigated the relationship between the 2 methods. The hypothesis was that both EEG and OMR would be significantly positively correlated. Previous researchers have suggested that the 2 methods resulted in different estimates.
Methods:
A case series was conducted using recorded estimates obtained prospectively from 102 ECTs on adult psychiatric inpatients.
Results:
A strong positive association was not observed in this study, correlation coefficient 0.510 (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
This study suggests that the 2 methods differ, and further research is needed to determine the best indicator of adequate treatment.
