Neuropsychiatric relapse following acute carbon monoxide poisoning--the contribution of electroconvulsive therapy.

Four cases are described in which, after apparent recovery from deliberate acute carbon monoxide poisoning, the administration of electroconvulsive therapy was associated with a relapse, with subsequent neuropsychiatric impairment. It is suggested that, as electroconvulsive therapy could aggravate acute cerebral damage, its use during recovery from acute carbon monoxide poisoning should be abandoned.