Combined electroconvulsive therapy and clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia
Abstract
1. To assess the efficacy and safety of combining electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and clozapine in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, the authors reviewed use of this combination in four treatment-resistant schizophrenic inpatients and one inpatient with schizophrenia who was intolerant of clozapine doses needed to control her psychosis. 2. The combination of clozapine and bilateral ECT was modestly effective in two treatment-resistant patients and markedly effective in three patients. There was significant overall improvement in patients' Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores (p < 0.005 and p < 0.0004, respectively), however in patients where marked symptomatic improvement was noted, effects were not sustained. 3. One of the patients that showed dramatic yet transient improvement followed by relapses received maintenance ECT but relapsed despite this. 4. The authors saw no adverse effects in connection with the combination of ECT and clozapine. 5. Supplementing clozapine with a course of bilateral ECT appears to be safe and is effective in some patients with refractory schizophrenia, however its beneficial effects may be short-lived. The long-term impact of ECT on the course of schizophrenia in patients incompletely responsive to clozapine is not fully elucidated.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case report, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Combining in silico and in vitro approaches to identification of potent inhibitor against phospholipase A2 (PLA2)
- In silico and in vitro studies: investigating the chemical composition, DFT, molecular docking, and dynamic simulation of Satureja candidissima (Munby) Briq essential oil as a potential antibacterial agent
- Quercetin combined with ciprofloxacin and gentamicin inhibits biofilm formation and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus
- In silico study of the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of some N-methylanthranilates and their analogs
- Anticonvulsant Effects of Citronellal, Daidzin, and Phytol, Possibly Through GABAA Receptor and Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Interaction Pathways: In Vivo and In Silico Studies
- 2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) Derivatives as D3R-Selective Ligands for 3D-QSAR, Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.