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Pharmacopsychiatry 2006; 39(6): 201-204
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-950395
Original Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

ECT Anesthesia: The Lighter the Better?

A. Sartorius 1 , E. M. Muñoz-Canales 1 , B. Krumm 2 , A. Krier 3 , 4 , F. J. Andres 4 , H.-J. Bender 4 , F. A. Henn 1
  • 1Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Mannheim, Germany
  • 2Central Institute of Mental Health, Division of Biostatistics, Mannheim, Germany
  • 3Institut für Anästhesiologie und Operative Intensivmedizin, Fakultät für Klinische Medizin Mannheim -Universitätsklinikum Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
  • 4Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Operative Intensivmedizin, Berlin, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received 27. 2. 2006 Revised 16. 6. 2006

Accepted 7. 7. 2006

Publication Date:
23 November 2006 (online)

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Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a most effective treatment for patients with major affective disorders. The influence of anesthetic drugs on seizure “adequacy” or on treatment success has not been systematically investigated. Methods: A bispectral EEG index score (BIS) was used to identify the depth of anesthesia during ECT. Our study included 22 major depressive episode (MDE) patients expanding to 219 ECTs (05/05-01/06) with no limitations of concurrent medication. Results: Fourteen out of the 22 patients showed full remission. Individual number of ECT sessions needed to reach full remission correlated negatively with mean pre-ECT BIS values (p=0.001). Additionally, using a repeated measurement regression analysis significant correlations were found for pre-ECT BIS versus motor response time, seizure concordance, ictal coherence and peak heart rate. Conclusion: The results of our study suggest BIS-levels as a predictor of faster ECT response. Controlling BIS-levels before stimulation may have an additional effect on treatment success.

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Correspondence

Alexander SartoriusM.D., Dipl. Phys. 

Central Institute of Mental Health

J5·68159 Mannheim

Germany

Phone: +49/621/17 03 27 22

Fax: +49/621/17 03 31 65

Email: alexander.sartorius@zi-mannheim.de