Clinical effectiveness and cost of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation versus electroconvulsive therapy in severe depression: a multi-centre randomised controlled trial and economic analysis

Investigating if repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was as effective as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in treating major depressive episodes and performing a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN67096930

Enrollment

Registered

2003-04-25

Start date

2001-08-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depression, anxiety, neuroses Mental and Behavioural Disorders Depression

Interventions

1. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) 2. ECT

Eligibility

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: All in-patients referred for ECT with severe depressive episodes (Diagnostic Research Criteria [DCR-10]), including patients refractory to standard medical/psychological treatments

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Age under 18 years 2. Evidence of dementia 3. History of substance misuse in previous 6 months 4. Schizophrenia or other functional psychosis 5. History of epilepsy or recent Cardiovascular Accident (CVA)/Myocardial Infarction (MI)/cardiac failure 6. Medically unfit to receive anaesthetic 7. Electronic and metallic implants or foreign bodies 8. Raised intracranial pressure 9. Inability to provide informed consent

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The following will be used to obtain baseline, intra-treatment and follow-up data as appropriate: 1. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Visual Analog Mood Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale 2. Treatment side-effects and adverse events inventories 3. Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG) plus specific tests of memory and frontal-executive function 4. Client Service Receipt Inventory and attendant methodologies for estimating unit costs of services and costs of treatment/care packages falling to the family and the NHS	—

Measure

Time frame

The following will be used to obtain baseline, intra-treatment and follow-up data as appropriate: 1. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Visual Analog Mood Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale 2. Treatment side-effects and adverse events inventories 3. Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG) plus specific tests of memory and frontal-executive function 4. Client Service Receipt Inventory and attendant methodologies for estimating unit costs of services and costs of treatment/care packages falling to the family and the NHS

—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Not provided at time of registration	—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026