Major depression Mental and Behavioural Disorders Depressive episode
Conditions
Interventions
Patients referred for bilateral ECT will be randomised to receive a course of either standard (1.5 x seizure threshold) bilateral ECT or high-dose (6 x seizure threshold) right unilateral ECT.
Sponsors
St Patrick's Hospital (Ireland)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Participants in the trial will be patients greater than or equal to 18 years (either sex) with major depressive disorder (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition [DSM-IV]) and referred for ECT.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Any condition rendering patients medically unfit for general anaesthesia or ECT 2. Treatment with ECT in previous six months 3. Dementia or other axis 1 diagnosis 4. Alcohol/other substance abuse in previous six months 5. Inability/refusal to consent
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at end of allocated ECT treatment course, measured at baseline, at weekly intervals during the course of ECT, and about four days after the last ECT session. Thereafter, it will be measured every fortnight for eight weeks and at the following follow-up time points: 3, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Measures of retrograde memory function at the end of allocated ECT treatment course 2. Autobiographical memory, measured using the Columbia Autobiographical Memory Interview-Short Form (AMI-SF) 3. Semantic memory, measured using a Famous Events Questionnaire The secondary outcomes will be measured at baseline, about four days after the last ECT session, and at the following follow-up time points: 3, 6, and 12 months. | — |
Countries
Ireland
Outcome results
None listed