Electroconvulsive Therapy in Psychiatric Unit at Uttaradit Hospital: Retrospective Descriptive Study (Chart Review)

Abstract

Introduction: Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a standard treatment intervention for psychiatric disorders that is recognized worldwide for its high efficacy and safety. Uttaradit Hospital has treated psychiatric inpatients with modified ECT since 1998, but still requires more relevant clinical information. The objective of this study was to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients. The result could be useful for the improvement of ECT safety and efficacy.

Method: This study was a retrospective descriptive study (chart review) of psychiatric inpatients having been treated with modified ECT for 8 years (from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2016). All eligible patients were psychiatric inpatients diagnosed by a psychiatric diagnosis based on the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria (F00 - F99) and had been treated with modified ECT therapy with no exclusion criteria.

Result: There were 436 psychiatric inpatients treated with modified ECT. Most of them are male (61.9%), the mean age was 36.2 ± 10.2 years. The percentage of schizophrenic and bipolar disorder patients were 62.8% and 26.1%, respectively while the percentage of patients with medical comorbidities was 55.3%. The mean number of modified ECT was 10.1 ± 6.4 times, and there were no deaths during treatment. The factors used to predict the number of modified ECT included age, the diagnosis with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and having cardiovascular comorbidity.

Discussion and Conclusion: Most of the psychiatric inpatients treated with modified ECT at Uttaradit Hospital were male, adulthood, diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and medical comorbidities. This is consistent with many studies conducted in Asian countries. It was found that the ECT treatment of the hospital was as efficacious and safe as that in studies conducted in other countries.