Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Seizure Duration and Electroconvulsive Therapy in Major Depressive Disorder

Gillving, Cecilia ; Ekman, Carl Johan ; Hammar, Åsa LU ; Landén, Mikael ; Lundberg, Johan LU ; Movahed Rad, Pouya LU ; Nordanskog, Pia LU ; Von Knorring, Lars and Nordenskjöld, Axel (2024) In JAMA Network Open 7(7).
Abstract

Importance: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), wherein a generalized epileptic seizure is induced, is a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Currently, it is unclear whether there is an association between seizure length and treatment outcome. Objective: To explore the association between seizure duration, potential confounding variables, and ECT treatment outcome. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study obtained data from the Swedish National Quality Register for ECT. Patients treated for unipolar MDD with unilateral electrode placement between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019, were included. The electroencephalographic (EEG) seizure duration from the first ECT treatment session for each... (More)

Importance: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), wherein a generalized epileptic seizure is induced, is a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Currently, it is unclear whether there is an association between seizure length and treatment outcome. Objective: To explore the association between seizure duration, potential confounding variables, and ECT treatment outcome. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study obtained data from the Swedish National Quality Register for ECT. Patients treated for unipolar MDD with unilateral electrode placement between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019, were included. The electroencephalographic (EEG) seizure duration from the first ECT treatment session for each patient was used for analysis. Data analyses were performed between March 2021 and May 2024. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was remission, defined as a cutoff score of less than 10 points on the self-assessment version of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale within 1 week after ECT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) between different seizure duration groups. Furthermore, the associations between concomitant use of pharmacological treatments, seizure duration, and remission rate were explored. Results: Among the 6998 patients included, 4229 (60.4%) were female and the mean (SD) age was 55.2 (18.6) years. Overall, 2749 patients (39.3%) achieved remission after ECT. Patients with EEG seizure duration of 60 to 69 seconds had the highest remission rates compared with patients with seizure duration of less than 20 seconds (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.63-2.88; P <.001). Anticonvulsant medications were associated with shorter seizure duration (eg, lamotrigine: β coefficient [SE], -6.02 [1.08]; P <.001) and lower remission rates (eg, lamotrigine: adjusted OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.84; P <.001). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found an association between seizure length and remission from MDD. Use of anticonvulsant medication during ECT was associated with shorter seizure duration and lower remission rates after ECT.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
JAMA Network Open
volume
7
issue
7
article number
e2422738
publisher
American Medical Association
external identifiers
  • scopus:85199662859
  • pmid:39052292
ISSN
2574-3805
DOI
10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22738
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e60ab55a-4c39-4059-b692-3918ddf33254
date added to LUP
2024-09-26 15:21:08
date last changed
2024-09-26 15:23:41
@article{e60ab55a-4c39-4059-b692-3918ddf33254,
  abstract     = {{<p>Importance: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), wherein a generalized epileptic seizure is induced, is a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Currently, it is unclear whether there is an association between seizure length and treatment outcome. Objective: To explore the association between seizure duration, potential confounding variables, and ECT treatment outcome. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study obtained data from the Swedish National Quality Register for ECT. Patients treated for unipolar MDD with unilateral electrode placement between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019, were included. The electroencephalographic (EEG) seizure duration from the first ECT treatment session for each patient was used for analysis. Data analyses were performed between March 2021 and May 2024. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was remission, defined as a cutoff score of less than 10 points on the self-assessment version of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale within 1 week after ECT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) between different seizure duration groups. Furthermore, the associations between concomitant use of pharmacological treatments, seizure duration, and remission rate were explored. Results: Among the 6998 patients included, 4229 (60.4%) were female and the mean (SD) age was 55.2 (18.6) years. Overall, 2749 patients (39.3%) achieved remission after ECT. Patients with EEG seizure duration of 60 to 69 seconds had the highest remission rates compared with patients with seizure duration of less than 20 seconds (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.63-2.88; P &lt;.001). Anticonvulsant medications were associated with shorter seizure duration (eg, lamotrigine: β coefficient [SE], -6.02 [1.08]; P &lt;.001) and lower remission rates (eg, lamotrigine: adjusted OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.84; P &lt;.001). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found an association between seizure length and remission from MDD. Use of anticonvulsant medication during ECT was associated with shorter seizure duration and lower remission rates after ECT.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gillving, Cecilia and Ekman, Carl Johan and Hammar, Åsa and Landén, Mikael and Lundberg, Johan and Movahed Rad, Pouya and Nordanskog, Pia and Von Knorring, Lars and Nordenskjöld, Axel}},
  issn         = {{2574-3805}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  publisher    = {{American Medical Association}},
  series       = {{JAMA Network Open}},
  title        = {{Seizure Duration and Electroconvulsive Therapy in Major Depressive Disorder}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22738}},
  doi          = {{10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22738}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}