Electroconvulsive Therapy Before or After Initiation of Clozapine in Schizophrenia- A Retrospective Comparison for Seizure Parameters, Treatment Response and Duration of Hospitalization

Authors : Eren YILDIZHAN, Nesrin Buket TOMRUK, Özge ATAY

Pages : 266-273

Doi:10.31067/acusaglik.924932

View : 40 | Download : 18

Publication Date : 2022-03-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Purpose: Determining whether adjunctive electroconvulsive therapy insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ECT); with clozapine leads to better treatment response and fewer days in hospital for patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Medical records of patients with schizophrenia who were treated with ECT-clozapine combination in our women’s mental health clinic in a period of 5 years insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(between 01.02.2014 and 01.02.2019); were investigated retrospectively. Clinical Global Impression of Improvement insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CGI-I); scale was used for assessing treatment response. Results: Of the 191 cases treated with ECT, there were 8 cases of schizophrenia who were treated with ECT and concomitant clozapine insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(C-ECT); and 14 cases who were treated with ECT before the initiation of clozapine insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ECT-B);. Number of ECT sessions and duration of seizures were not significantly different for both groups insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p > 0.05);. There was good and mild response insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CGI-I score of 2 and 3); in 75% of the patients insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(n=6); for C-ECT and 85.7% of the patients insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(n=12); for ECT-B. Mean CGI-I scores between the two groups were not significantly different insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p > 0.05);. Duration of hospitalization for the C-ECT group insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(37.7  14.44 days); was shorter than the duration of hospitalization for the ECT-B group insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(56.0  19.2 days); insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p = 0.04);. No serious adverse events were observed during the ECT sessions or during the index hospitalizations Conclusion: Response rate was high and similar with both of the procedures and the duration of hospitalization was shorter for C-ECT group with no major complication and no significant increase in adverse effects.
Keywords : ECT, Schizophrenia, Clozapine