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A 2-year follow-up study of patients participating in our transcranial pulsating electromagnetic fields augmentation in treatment-resistant depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2015

Per Bech ,
Lone Lindberg ,
Birgit Straasø  and
Erik Roj Larsen
Per Bech*
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Research Unit, Psychiatric Centre North Zealand, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark
Lone Lindberg
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Research Unit, Psychiatric Centre North Zealand, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark
Birgit Straasø
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Research Unit, Psychiatric Centre North Zealand, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark
Erik Roj Larsen
Affiliation:
Department of Affective Disorders, Mood Disorders Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark
*
Per Bech, Psychiatric Research Unit, Psychiatric Centre North Zealand, University of Copenhagen, Dyrehavevej 48, DK-3400 Hillerød, Denmark. Tel: +453 864 3095; Fax: +454 826 3877; E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

We have made a 2-year follow-up study to evaluate the effect of repeated transcranial pulsating electromagnetic fields (T-PEMF) augmentation in patients who had achieved remission but later on relapsed, as well as to identify factors contributing to treatment-resistant depression in patients who did not respond to T-PEMF.

Methods

Using the Longitudinal Expert Assessment of All Data approach the patients were classified in four groups: A: patients who achieved remission; B: patients with doubtful effect; C: patients with no effect; and D: patients who were hard-to-assess.

Results

In group A, comprising 27 patients, 13 had relapsed; they obtained a clear remission after a repeated course of T-PEMF augmentation. In group D, comprising 16 patients, we identified misdiagnostic factors both concerning the event of remission after the previous T-PEMF augmentation and concerning the aetiology (psychosocial stressors and co-morbid conditions). Compared with the other groups, the group D patients had a smaller number of previous episodes (p=0.09) and a longer duration of the current episode (p=0.01).

Conclusion

T-PEMF has an effect among patients who relapsed after remission with the first series of T-PEMF. Treatment-resistant depression is a condition that has a high degree of multivariate problems. Misuse of alcohol or drugs, severe somatic disorders and other psychosocial problems may need other kinds of treatment before T-PEMF augmentation.

Keywords

depressive disordertranscranial pulsating electromagnetic fieldstreatment of relapsetreatment-resistant depression
Type
Original Articles
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 119 - 125
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Copyright
© Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2015 

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