Is electroencephalographic monitoring of electroconvulsive therapy clinically useful? Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring was carried out in 169 bilateral and 114 unilateral applications of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), given to 51 patients in an everyday setting within the National Health Service by junior medical staff. In 2.5% of bilateral and 8% of unilateral applications there was disagreement between clinical and EEG assessment as to whether a fit had occurred. When an EEG fit was said to have occurred only if it lasted longer than 25 seconds, then disagreement rose to 7% in bilateral and 28% in unilateral applications; disagreement was higher with unilateral applications, as they produced more short fits than bilateral applications. If future work shows duration of seizure is clearly associated with clinical efficacy, it is suggested the case for routine EEG monitoring is greatly strengthened.

publication date

  • February 1, 1989

Research

keywords

  • Electroconvulsive Therapy
  • Electroencephalography

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0024595323

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1192/bjp.154.2.229

PubMed ID

  • 2775950

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 154