Citation

Brådvik L, Berglund M. J. ECT 2000; 16(4): 399-408.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/00124509-200012000-00010

PMID

11314878

Abstract

Treatment at last contact in 89 persons with severe depression who committed suicide was compared with treatment at a corresponding date in 89 matched persons who did not commit suicide. No difference in electroconvulsive therapy use or prescription of antidepressant medication could be shown between those who committed suicide and those who did not. Neither was there a difference in response to treatment as measured in rates of improvement with treatment. However, continued treatment with antidepressant medication after electroconvulsive therapy was more common in the persons who did not commit suicide than in those who did (46% versus 13%, p < 0.025). None of the persons who committed suicide who were followed during the 6 months before death had received continued treatment after electroconvulsive therapy. This study lends statistical support to the importance of continuing treatment after electroconvulsive therapy to prevent suicide.

Language: en

Keywords

Adult; Aged; Antidepressive Agents; Case-Control Studies; Depressive Disorder; Electroconvulsive Therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Suicide