A comparison of stimulus dosing methods for electroconvulsive therapy
Open Access
- 1 May 2000
- journal article
- Published by Royal College of Psychiatrists in Psychiatric Bulletin
- Vol. 24 (5), 184-187
- https://doi.org/10.1192/pb.24.5.184
Abstract
Aims and Methods: A prospective study comparing initial electroconvulsive therapy treatment doses determined by empirical dose titration with estimates derived from two simple dose prediction methods and a fixed-dose regimen (275 mC).Results: Thirty-three patients had seizure thresholds between 25 mC and 403 mC. The dose titration method led to a mean initial treatment dose of 195 mC that was intermediate between those predicted by the age method (275 mC) and the half-age method (137 mC). Estimates were within acceptable limits in 33% of cases for the age method, 64% for the half-age method and 40% for the fixed-dose method.Clinical Implications: Either dose prediction or dose titration methods may be more appropriate in different clinical situations. The half-age method appears to be a more accurate predictor of optimum initial treatment dose.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Electroconvulsive therapy auditJournal of Clinical Effectiveness, 1998
- Effects of Stimulus Intensity and Electrode Placement on the Efficacy and Cognitive Effects of Electroconvulsive TherapyNew England Journal of Medicine, 1993
- Audit of Electroconvulsive Treatment in two National Health Service RegionsThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 1992