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Song, Shim, Kong, Kang, Moon, Kim, Lim, Kim, and Jung: Electroconvulsive Therapy for Patients with Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia Patients : A Retrospective Study
Original Article
Journal of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Journal of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2012; 51(5): 271-276.

Published online: 30 September 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/jkna.2012.51.5.271

Electroconvulsive Therapy for Patients with Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia Patients : A Retrospective Study

Tae-Hong Song, MD, Joo-Cheol Shim, MD, PhD, Bo-Geum Kong, MD, PhD, Je-Wook Kang, MD, PhD, Jung-Joon Moon, MD, Sung-Jin Kim, MD, Ji-Seop Lim, MD, Im-Gyu Kim, MD, Do-Un Jung, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Do-Un Jung, MD, PhD. Department of Psychiatry, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, 75 Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan 614-735, Korea. Tel +82-51-890-6189, Fax +82-51-894-2532, gabriel.jdu@gmail.com

Received 25 May 2012       Revised 3 July 2012       Accepted 27 July 2012

Copyright © 2012 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Abstract

Objectives

This study analyzes the effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) by predicting the factors contributing to the effectiveness of ECT and evaluating the persistency of ECT effect in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

Methods

Using retrospective review of the charts of 24 schizophrenic inpatients who were admitted to Busan Paik Hospital between March 1, 2005 and December 31, 2009. We compared the pre-ECT Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scores and post-ECT CGI scores among these patients. We evaluated the differences in the ECT responses by sex, age, duration of illness and dose of antipsychotic agents, and investigated the rate of continuation of out-patient treatment and readmission, and the change of the CGI score for 12 months after the ECT.

Results

ECT resulted in an overall clinical improvement as measured on the CGI scale. 15 (62.50%) patients were good responders, while 9 (37.50%) were poor responders. There was no significant difference between sex, age, duration of the illness, and dose of antipsychotics taken by the patient before the ECT. 21 (87.50%) patients continuously visited the outpatient department for 12 month, and 14 (66.67%) of them maintained the ECT effect with medical treatment only and without readmission.

Conclusion

This study showed that the ECT could be a useful treatment option for schizophrenic patients who are resistant to antipsychotics.

Keywords: Electroconvulsive therapy, Treatment-resistant schizophrenia, Antipsychotics

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
CGI-S change after ECT in patients with schizophrenia. CGI-S : Clinical Global Impression-Severe, ECT : Electroconvulsive therapy.
jkna-51-271-g001
Fig. 2
CGI-S change during the 12-month period after ECT in patients with schizophrenia. * : p<0.05. CGI-S : Clincal Global Impression-Severe, ECT : Electroconvulsive therapy, m : month.
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Table 1
Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with schizophrenia
jkna-51-271-i001

CPZE : Chloropromazine equivalent dose, ECT : Electroconvulsive therapy

Table 2
ECT parameters in patients with schizophrenia
jkna-51-271-i002

Values are number of patient (%). ECT : Electroconvulsive therapy, CPZE : Chlorpromazine equivalent dose

Notes

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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