Concurrent use of lamotrigine and electroconvulsive therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy for catatonia in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis: A case series

BACKGROUND

Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is the most common cause of immune-mediated catatonia.

CASE SERIES

Three females presented with neuropsychiatric symptoms and were empirically treated with first-line immunotherapy and ovarian teratoma resection for suspected autoimmune encephalitis, preceding diagnostic confirmation via NMDAR antibody positivity. They required escalating large doses of benzodiazepines for refractory malignant catatonia resulting in ICU level care. ECT treatments were initiated, and patients were gradually noted to have clinical improvement as was measured by the Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians should recognize catatonia among patients with suspected anti-NMDAR encephalitis and consider the early implementation of ECT into treatment algorithms.

Oral theophylline augmentation for patients with missed or inadequate seizures with electroconvulsive therapy

AIM

An inadequate seizure occasionally occurs during a course of acute electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) under the maximum approved electrical stimulation in Japan of 504 mC. This retrospective study was conducted to determine the effectiveness and adverse reactions of an oral theophylline augmentation technique.

METHODS

A retrospective review of medical records was conducted of patients admitted to the Department of Psychiatry, Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, who received acute phase ECT from October 2014 to March 2017.

RESULTS

A theophylline augmentation technique was instituted in 13 patients (7 males, 6 females; 56-79 years old). The total number of ECT sessions per patient ranged from 9 to 20 and the number of those with theophylline augmentation per patient ranged from 1 to 17. An augmentation effect was noted in all patients and each finished the scheduled ECT course, except for 1 who developed memory disturbance. The maximum dose of theophylline ranged from 200 to 700 mg/day, and the serum level at 06:00 on the day of the ECT session ranged from 5.3 to 23.6 mg/L in 12 patients, as 1 missed the examination.

CONCLUSION

Oral theophylline augmentation can be considered as an effective treatment option for patients undergoing ECT with inadequate seizures.

Antiepileptics in Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Mechanism-Based Review of Recent Literature

ABSTRACT

Although prior conventional wisdom strongly recommended complete discontinuation of medications increasing the seizure threshold before electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), more recent literature suggests that anticonvulsants should be considered a relative rather than an absolute contraindication to proceeding with therapy. Most literature regarding the use of use antiepileptic drugs in ECT focuses on antiepileptic mood stabilizers with which most psychiatrists are familiar. However, there is considerably less information available about the use of newer antiepileptics in conjunction with ECT, which may be prescribed to a patient with epilepsy or off-label for psychiatric reasons.In this article, we provide a mechanism-based review of recent available literature concerning the use of antiepileptics during ECT and discuss which medications have the most robust evidence supporting their continued use in select patients. Finally, we highlight important considerations for psychiatrists when deciding how to proceed with patients on antiepileptics who require ECT.

A prospective multicenter assessor-blinded randomized controlled study to compare the efficacy of short versus long protocols of electroconvulsive therapy as an augmentation strategy to clozapine in patients with ultra-resistant schizophrenia (SURECT study)

Background

Although clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic drug for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, it leads to a poor or partial response in 40 to 70% of patients. Augmentation of clozapine with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective and relatively safe treatment for these clozapine-resistant patients. However, parameters are not yet well specified, such as the optimal number of sessions, their frequency, and the relevance of maintenance ECT. Our objective is to compare the efficacy and tolerance between two protocols of combined ECT and clozapine treatment in patients with ultra-resistant schizophrenia (URS): a 6-month protocol (short protocol with 20 ECT sessions) and a 12-month protocol (long protocol with 40 ECT sessions).

Methods

Sixty-four patients with schizophrenia with persistent psychotic symptoms despite clozapine treatment will be enrolled in a prospective multicentric assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. Patients will be randomly assigned to the short or the long protocol. The main outcome is the response rate assessed by the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) 3 months after the end of the treatment in patients following the long protocol compared to those following the short protocol. The response was defined as a 30% reduction on the PANSS baseline. Clinical assessments (PANSS, BPRS, HAMD-21, YMRS, CGI, GAF, Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS), and Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Schizophrenia (SSTICS)) and plasma clozapine concentration will be performed at baseline and at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months. Neuropsychological measures (MMSE, RL/RI-16, Doors test, D2 Test of Attention, Copy of the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure) will be performed at baseline and at 6 and 15 months.

Discussion

The aims of this research are to optimize protocols of combined ECT with clozapine in patients with URS and to offer specific recommendations for these patients’ care.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03542903. Registered on May 31, 2018. Id RCB: 2017-A02657-46

Factors Associated With Seizure Adequacy Along the Course of Electroconvulsive Therapy

OBJECTIVES

Eliciting a generalized seizure is essential to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but there is still a need to understand how patient and session variables interact to generate a seizure of adequate quality. Here, we investigate factors associated with motor seizure length as a measure of quality in a large database of patients who underwent ECT.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort including data from all adult inpatients who underwent ECT at a university hospital in Brazil from 2009 to 2015. We used linear mixed models to investigate the effects of patient, session, and medication on seizure length.

RESULTS

Session information was available for 387 patients, a total of 3544 sessions and 4167 individual stimulations. Multiple stimulations were necessary in 12.4% of sessions. Median seizure length was 30 seconds. Seizure length was directly correlated with stimulus dosage and inversely correlated with the session number, patient age, prescription of anticonvulsants in the day before and β-blockers during the session, and the thiopental dose. Use of benzodiazepines was not associated with a shorter seizure duration, irrespective of dose.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate here how motor seizure length evolves during a course of ECT. With a large number of sessions, we are able to integrate a host of factors in a prediction model. Seizure quality was influenced by a number of the studied factors, many of which are potentially modifiable and could be assessed before initiating and handled during treatment.

Successful bilateral electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with a seizure disorder taking levetiracetam, lorazepam, and zonisamide: A case report

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be considered for treatment of severe, treatment-resistant, and emergent depression associated with MDD or bipolar disorder. Patients with epilepsy usually take medications that raise the seizure threshold, which poses challenges during ECT. We report a 66-year-old male with epilepsy taking levetiracetam extended-release (XR), lorazepam, and zonisamide requiring ECT for severe MDD. After literature review, the XR form of levetiracetam was changed to higher doses of the immediate-release (IR) formulation, and zonisamide was discontinued 2 days prior to ECT in the hospital and was resumed when the patient underwent outpatient continuation ECT. The patient was treated to remission after receiving 8 acute bilateral ECT treatments before being transitioned to continuation ECT. We provide a brief review of medication management of antiepileptic drugs and other medications that increase the seizure threshold during ECT. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case describing the management of levetiracetam, lorazepam, and zonisamide concomitantly during ECT. Our case suggests that utilizing the IR formulation of levetiracetam, administering the evening dose early the day prior to the procedure, and temporarily discontinuing zonisamide prior to bilateral ECT is effective for the treatment of severe MDD while maintaining seizure prophylaxis.

The Efficacy and Safety of Concomitant Psychotropic Medication and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for severe psychiatric disorders. Patients referred to ECT are often taking multiple medications, many of which can potentially affect the safety and efficacy of their course of ECT. This review evaluates the impact of a variety of psychotropic medications often used in conjunction with ECT and examines strategies to optimize their management. The review encompasses mood stabilizers, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, and other commonly used psychotropics.

[Electroconvulsive therapy in combination with psychotropic and non-psychotropic pharmacological treatments: Review of the literature and practical recommendations]

CONTEXT

Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for treatment resistant mood disorders and catatonia. ECT also appears to be an effective treatment in combination with clozapine in the context of treatment resistant schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Although increasingly codified (guidelines on indications, contraindications, methods of implementation), the practice of ECT still lacks consensual protocols. The concomitant use of psychotropic and/or non-psychotropic medication is a common situation when ECT treatment is considered. To our knowledge, there is to date no summary of studies or case reports in France, nor any proposal for guidelines concerning the management of medication of the patient to whom ECT sessions are offered. Indeed, several particularities must be considered. This article proposes to specify for each pharmacological class the possible interaction between ECT and medication. A first section of this article will be devoted to non-psychotropic treatments, and a second section to psychotropic treatments. A practical summary table is also provided.

METHOD

A review of the literature was conducted including all articles published prior to January 2019 referenced in Pub Med database, combining research with Medical Subject Headings "Electroconvulsive Therapy" and each following pharmacological class: "Cardiovascular Agents" "Bronchodilator Agents" "Bronchoconstrictor Agents" "Theophylline" "Anticoagulants" "Hypoglycemic Agents" "Insulin" "Potassium" "Benzodiazepines" "Valproic Acid" "Carbamazepine" "Lamotrigine" "Lithium" "Antidepressive Agents" "Antipsychotic Agents".

RESULTS

After reading the titles, abstracts and whole articles, then searching for additional articles in the references, 50 articles were selected. A summary table summarizing the main risks and proposing a course of action has been produced.

DISCUSSION

It is essential to take into account the specificity and the different physiological mechanisms involved in the ECT treatment in order to adjust the associated pharmacological treatments. The prescription for each molecule should be reviewed when ECT treatment is initiated.

Should Benzodiazepines and Anticonvulsants Be Used During Electroconvulsive Therapy?: A Case Study and Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the clinical effects of benzodiazepines or anticonvulsant use during a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

METHOD

A case report study of a patient who received ECT with and without concomitant flurazepam and pregabalin is presented. The literature on the use of benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants during ECT is reviewed.

RESULTS

A woman with treatment resistant depression received a course of ECT while taking flurazepam and pregabalin, but seizures were of short duration and symptomatic improvement was minimal. After discontinuation of flurazepam and pregabalin, a course of right unilateral ultrabrief ECT was associated with adequate seizures and remission of depression and suicidal ideation. Our literature review suggests that benzodiazepines decrease seizure duration, but most evidence shows no association with increased seizure threshold. One prospective RCT and 3 large retrospective studies found that benzodiazepines compromise the efficacy of unilateral but not bilateral ECT. Regarding anticonvulsants, several studies had varied and contradictory results on their effect on seizure duration and seizure threshold. Of the 2 large retrospective studies and 3 RCTs, only 1 retrospective study showed that anticonvulsants decrease the efficacy of ECT.

CONCLUSIONS

Judicious assessment of all medications used in combination with ECT is recommended. Overall, published studies suggest that benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants impact the clinical outcomes of ECT less than what would be expected given their pharmacologic effects. However, there are significant gaps in the literature, including a lack of study on suprathreshold stimulation of right unilateral ECT and the possibility of a greater effect with higher medication doses.

Effects of stimulus parameters on motor seizure duration in electroconvulsive therapy

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the effect of stimulus parameters on the occurrence of adequate seizures and reconsidered the factors related to motor seizure duration.

METHODS

The medical records of 187 patients who received ECT in Asan Medical Center from January 2007 to May 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The starting stimulus dose was determined using a preselected-dose method and the cutoff value to determine the adequate motor seizure duration was 20-25 seconds. The association between seizure parameters and the occurrence of adequate seizure was assessed with logistic regression using a generalized estimating equation.

RESULTS

Age (P<0.001), use of mood stabilizers (P=0.002), and benzodiazepine (P<0.001) were significantly lower in sessions with an adequate seizure duration but use of antidepressants (P<0.001) and clozapine (P=0.025) were significantly higher in sessions with an adequate seizure duration. In the generalized estimating equation analyses, after adjustment for age, benzodiazepine dose, and lamotrigine use, charge (odds ratio [OR] =0.999; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.998-1.000; P=0.005), and train duration (OR =0.632; 95% CI, 0.490-0.817; P<0.001) were significantly associated with the occurrence of adequate seizure.

DISCUSSION

Stimulus charge and train duration are significantly associated with motor seizure duration. However, train duration appears to have a greater effect on motor seizure duration. Additionally, age, benzodiazepine dose, and lamotrigine use independently affect motor seizure duration.

Medication management during electroconvulsant therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has demonstrated to be highly effective and safe, even life saving for many psychiatric disorders such as major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Most patients who require ECT are also on concurrent pharmacotherapy. As such, the objective of this article is to provide a review of the most recent literature focusing on the medications used during an ECT procedure and on the effects of concurrent psychiatric and non-psychiatric medications on the effectiveness and safety of ECT. The review also attempts to summarize the recommendations derived from existing documents to guide pharmacotherapy decisions for patients undergoing ECT. For this purpose, using electronic databases, an extensive search of the current literature was made using ECT and medications or drug classes as keywords.

Assessment of cognitive impairments and seizure characteristics in electroconvulsive therapy with and without sodium valproate in manic patients

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was two-fold: (1) to compare, in a controlled double-blind quasi-randomized clinical trial, treatment improvements, treatment outcome, and cognitive impairments in patients suffering from current manic episodes, while treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) with and without concurrent sodium valproate therapy, and (2) to compare ECT seizure characteristics in patients with and without concurrent sodium valproate therapy.

METHODS

A total of 40 inpatients (mean age = 31.80 years, SD = 8.06; 75% males) suffering from bipolar disorders and currently in a manic state took part in the study. They were quasi-randomly assigned either to the target (continuation of sodium valproate administration) or to the control group (discontinuation of sodium valproate administration). All patients underwent bifrontal ECT for at least 6 sessions. Improvements and cognitive impairments were assessed, and seizure characteristics (duration, threshold) were also recorded.

RESULTS

Manic episodes improved significantly over time, and irrespective of the group (target vs. control group). Cognitive impairments did not alter over time or between groups. Seizure duration did not change over time or between groups. Seizure threshold did not change over time, but was lower in the target than in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuing the administration of sodium valproate neither adversely affects, nor enhances cognitive impairments or seizure duration, but reduces seizure threshold during ECT in patients suffering from manic episodes. Moreover, gender appeared to be more strongly associated with cognitive impairment and seizure activity than treatment approaches in these psychiatric conditions.