Patients with late-life depression do not show deleterious cognitive effects 6 months following an ECT index course, although there are considerable differences at an individual level.
This 5-year, prospective, open-label, nonrandomized, observational registry study was conducted at 61 U.S. sites and included 795 patients who were experiencing a major depressive episode (unipolar or bipolar depression) of at least 2 years' duration or had three or more depressive episodes (including the current episode), and who had failed four or more depression treatments (including ECT).
The development of clinical trials of depression is examined, with particular reference to ECT and maintenance therapy, and the role of meta-analysis is discussed.