Verkürzt eine frühzeitige Elektrokrampftherapie bei schweren depressiven Episoden die weitere stationäre Behandlungsdauer

OBJECTIVE: ECT is an effective and safe therapy with fast response for depressive disorders. Nevertheless it's mostly used for therapy resistance. In antidepressive treatments fast response may be related with antidepressive efficacy. We studied, if earlier ECT could result in a shorter hospital stay period after the treatment. METHODS: The hospital stay period after ECT and CGI-changes of 34 depressed patients with immediate ECT were compared to those of 19 patients, who had to wait for this treatment while being treated conservatively in another psychiatric hospital without ECT-possibility. RESULTS: Patients with early ECT could be dismitted from hospital at a mean of 57 days after the first ECT, patients who had to wait for this treatment at a mean of 100 days after the first ECT. CGI-changes were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Early use of ECT may reduce hospital stay periods in depressed patients.