EFFECTS OF ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY IN ADOLESCENTS WITH SEVERE ENDOGENOUS-DEPRESSION RESISTANT TO PHARMACOTHERAPY

Citation
M. Strober et al., EFFECTS OF ELECTROCONVULSIVE-THERAPY IN ADOLESCENTS WITH SEVERE ENDOGENOUS-DEPRESSION RESISTANT TO PHARMACOTHERAPY, Biological psychiatry, 43(5), 1998, pp. 335-338
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,Neurosciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00063223
Volume
43
Issue
5
Year of publication
1998
Pages
335 - 338
Database
ISI
SICI code
0006-3223(1998)43:5<335:EOEIAW>2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
Background: This open, prospective study examined the effects of elect roconvulsive therapy (ECT) in 10 adolescents with primary, endogenous, psychotic depression who were resistant to antidepressant pharmacothe rapy. Methods: Change in symptom severity from baseline was assessed w eekly with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) ratings, and outcom e was measured additionally at 1 month, and again at 1 year, post-ECT. Results: All but 1 patient demonstrated dramatic improvement, with st atistically significant decreases in mean HDRS score detected after th e first week of treatment. All responders maintained the benefits of t heir treatment. Conclusions: The results provide evidence of the clini cal effectiveness of ECT in adolescents with phenomenological characte ristics shown to be predictive of ECT response in adults. (C) 1998 Soc iety of Biological Psychiatry.