Results
Title

The Effects of Continuation-Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy on Reducing Hospital Re-Admissions in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia.

Authors

Kyung Mook Choi; Soo-Hee Choi; Jung Kyung Hong; Mi Hyun Lee; Joon Hyung Jung; Sang Hoon Oh; Dong Chung Jung; Sung Nyun Kim

Abstract

Objective: Continuation-maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (C/M-ECT) is used to prevent relapse or recurrence in patients with severe mental illnesses. We aimed to investigate the effect of C/M-ECT on reducing hospital re-admissions in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Methods: We applied a mirror-image design by retrospectively examining re-hospitalization rates of 18 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. We compared the numbers of psychiatric admissions during the actual period over which C/M-ECT was administered with the same period prior to the beginning of C/M-ECT. Results: The number of psychiatric admissions was reduced significantly during C/M-ECT (0.33±0.77) compared with that of the same period prior to C/M-ECT (2.67±1.33) (Wilcoxon signed rank Z=-3.663; p<0.001). Conclusion: This finding shows that C/M-ECT augmentation could successfully reduce the re-hospitalization rates in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

Subjects

SCHIZOPHRENIA treatment; ELECTROCONVULSIVE therapy; PATIENT readmissions

Publication

Clinical Psychopharmacology & Neuroscience, 2018, Vol 16, Issue 3, p339

ISSN

1738-1088

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.9758/cpn.2018.16.3.339