Sex-specifics of ECT outcome.

Blanken MAJT; Oudega ML; Hoogendoorn AW; Sonnenberg CS; Rhebergen D; Klumpers UMH; Van Diermen L; Birkenhager T; Schrijvers D; Redlich R; Dannlowski U; Heindel W; Coenjaerts M; Nordanskog P; Oltedal L; Frid LM; Kessler U; Kishimoto T; Takamiya A; Jorgensen A; Jorgensen MB; Emsell L; Bolwig T; Bouckaert F; Sienaert P; Péran P; Abbott CC; Yrondi A; Arbus C; Philipsen A; Kiebs M; van Verseveld M; Van Wingen G; van Waarde JA; Prinsen E; Kritzer M; Barbour T; Ten Doesschate F; Camprodon JA; Urretavizcaya M; Soriano-Mas C; Argyelan M; Cardoner N; Prudic J; Rowny S; Narr KL; Espinoza RT; Dols A; Tendolkar I; van Eijndhoven P

Abstract

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for patients with severe major depressive disorder (MDD). Given the known sex differences in MDD, improved knowledge may provide more sex-specific recommendations in clinical guidelines and improve outcome. In the present study we examine sex differences in ECT outcome and its predictors.; The evidence provided by our study suggests that ECT as a biological treatment for MDD is equally effective in women and men. A shorter duration of index episode was an additional sex- specific predictor for remission in women. Future research should establish whether the confidence intervals for the corresponding predictive margins are overlapping, as we find, or not.; (1) = 7.05, p = 0.01). The corresponding predictive margins did show overlapping confidence intervals for men and women.; Clinical data from 20 independent sites participating in the Global ECT-MRI Research Collaboration (GEMRIC) were obtained for analysis, totaling 500 patients with MDD (58.6 % women) with a mean age of 54.8 years. Severity of depression before and after ECT was assessed with validated depression scales. Remission was defined as a HAM-D score of 7 points or below after ECT. Variables associated with remission were selected based on literature (i.e. depression severity at baseline, age, duration of index episode, and presence of psychotic symptoms). - OBJECTIVE - CONCLUSION - RESULTS - METHODS