Lack of effect of ECT on Holter monitor recordings before and after treatment

Urine catecholamine levels are not influenced by electroconvulsive therapy in depression or schizophrenia over the long term

AIM

Change in catecholamine seems to be associated with not only effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but also adverse events associated with ECT. Our aim in this study was to investigate whether or not ECT influences the concentration of catecholamine over the long term. Patients with a major depressive episode or schizophrenia, diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, who were newly admitted to Juntendo University Hospital to receive ECT, were recruited.

METHODS

Urine was collected during the 24 h before the first ECT treatment, during the 24 h after the first ECT treatment, during the 24 h after the final ECT treatment and during the 24 h 1 week after the final ECT treatment. Heart rate, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale were assessed before and after ECT.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients were included in the final sample, which consisted of 14 patients with major depressive episodes and 10 patients with schizophrenia. Abnormal electrocardiograms were indicated in four patients with depression during the ECT operation but all recovered naturally. There were no significant differences in the levels of dopamine, adrenaline or noradrenaline the day before the first ECT, a day after the first ECT, a day after the final ECT and a week after the final ECT.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that ECT does not alter urine catecholamine levels after ECT over the long term. Further studies will be required to confirm these findings in a larger sample of patients.

How is electrocardiogram influenced by electroconvulsive therapy in males and females?

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate and compare the P duration and P dispersion (Pd) between male and female patients with a primary diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia disorder before and after the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) period.

METHODS

We obtained electrocardiograms of 50 healthy young volunteers which included 25 female (group F, n = 25) and 25 male patients (group M, n = 25). We measured minimum and maximum P wave durations (Pmin, Pmax) and Pd in milliseconds. Electrocardiography was performed before electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and immediately after the ECT period after awakening. A 12-lead surface electrocardiogram was obtained from each subject in the supine position.

RESULTS

The post-ECT P duration was significantly longer than the pre-ECT P duration in groups F and M (P = 0.01 and P = 0.008, respectively). The post-ECT Pd was significantly longer than the pre-ECT Pd in groups F and M (P = 0.0001 in both groups). A higher correlation (r) in group M was observed between the pre-ECT Pd and post-ECT P duration than in group F (r = 0.538, P = 006 in group M; r = 0.349, P = 08 in group F). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding hemodynamics.

CONCLUSIONS

Electroconvulsive therapy in both sexes may influence atrial conduction as evidenced by the significantly prolonged Pmax and Pd in patients with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia disorder.

Prolonged and fluctuating giant T-wave inversion after electroconvulsive therapy

A 76-year-old woman was scheduled to receive 8 treatments of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for severe depression. Although she experienced no adverse consequences in the first 2 treatments, giant T-wave inversion ensued from the third treatment despite no change in anesthesia or technical parameters of ECT. T-wave inversion appeared to have almost disappeared 8 days after the third ECT, but reappeared at 3 weeks after treatment during severe pain from gallbladder stone. T-wave inversion lasted for 4 months with gradual attenuation. Exaggerated sympathetic stimulation associated with ECT as physical and emotional stressors might have played a role in the appearance of T-wave inversion similar to catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, reappearance of T-wave inversion may have been involved in additive effects of pain from gallbladder stone on vulnerability due to a catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy-like condition.