[Maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in elderly psychotic unipolar depression].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of continuation/maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in elderly psychotic major depressed patients after ECT remission.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

Using a longitudinal randomized single-blind design, we compared the two-year outcome of two subgroups of psychotic unipolar depressed elderly patients who were ECT remitters: one treated with a maintenance nortriptyline regimen (n = 13) and one treated with combined maintenance ECT plus nortriptyline (n = 6).

RESULTS

During 2 years of maintenance treatment in elderly psychotic unipolar depressed ECT remitters, relapse/recurrence rates were significantly higher in the nortriptyline subgroup than in the combined ECT plus nortriptyline subgroup. The tolerability of both treatments was similar.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the use of combined maintenance ECT and antidepressant treatment in elderly psychotic unipolar depressed patients who are ECT remitters.