RELAPSE AFTER SUCCESSFUL ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY - THE USE AND IMPACT OF CONTINUATION ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUG-TREATMENT

Thirty eight (76 per cent) of a series of 50 depressed patients routin ely referred for bilateral electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) improved ma rkedly by two weeks after the last ECT. Patients remained under the ca re of their responsible clinicians after ECT. Only one-third of the pa tients who improved markedly were prescribed continuation antidepressa nt drug treatment for at least four months after ECT. Seventeen (46 pe r cent) of the patients who improved relapsed within six months of the last ECT. Patients who did not receive continuation antidepressant dr ug treatment were four times more likely to relapse (the 95 per cent c onfidence interval of the excess relapse rate was 24 to 78 per cent).