Electroconvulsive therapy in schizophrenia – where do we stand?

Abstract

Introduction

Electroconvulsive therapy is currently used in the management of severe depression, long-term mania and catatonia. Regarding schizophrenia-related psychosis ECT is also an option, but the indication is restrictive to severe cases, drug intolerance or resistant ones. Lack of evidence of cost-effectiveness compared to clozapine, and side effects of ECT techniques before 2003, influenced NICE guidance to not recommend ECT in schizophrenia, but modern ECT machines and procedures are subsequent to 2003. ECT is often performed when clozapine fails to respond in monotherapy or if there is intolerance to antipsychotic side effects. ECT in combination with clozapine seems to have significant results allowing the patients to achieve rapid control of psychotic symptoms with fewer side effects, comparing with antipsychotics-association strategies.

Objectives

To summarized the latest literature about this field and to present recent data from the Electrovulsivetherapy Unit, in Hospital de Magalhães Lemos, Portugal.

Aim

To explore and critically review the controversies of electroconvulsive therapy in the management of drug-resistant schizophrenia.

Methods

Retrospective data of an Electroconvulsive Therapy Unit during 2006–2015 was review.

Results

198 ECT treatments in schizophrenic patients were performed in our unit, during 2006–2007, in a total of 647 ECT (30,6%). In 2014–2015, 945 schizophrenic patients received ECT treatment, in a total of 2149 performed ECT (43,9%).

Conclusions

Although guidelines are crucial for the uniform practice of medicine, sometimes is important to be critical about them. The use of ECT in schizophrenia is safe and effective and further research is needed to continue to support this treatment.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.